<p>I have just completed my first year of engineering in college. My school has all freshman engineers all take the same courses regardless so changing now will not put me back at all. I enrolled into CompE kinda randomly, with zero experience in computer programming but have taken a class in C++ and Matlab and did pretty well.</p>
<p>I care mostly about job security and getting a well paying job. I really like math and I hate physics.(Neither major uses physics much so I hear) After interning in an office setting within a tech company, I worry about sitting 40 hrs a week in front of a computer all day. I was going to just graduate in this degree and get an MBA /MS Accounting immediately after(my school commonly allows this). </p>
<p>Recently I looked into industrial engineering. Obviously I want to do well with a good gpa and I hear this is the easiest engineering and has a lot of classes in statistics/math(my favorite subject) and classes in econ.</p>
<p>Can anyone advise on what route would make sense for me? Also how are the job prospects/ daily work day IE. I think starting salary wise CompE pays ~10k more .</p>
<p>Of course, there is always the chance that as an IE you will end up working on manufacturing IT, like my wife and many of her colleagues…</p>
<p>Her career was definitely not 40 hours a week behind the computer; we’re talking bunny suit, tablet computer, interacting with the production people (pharma and electronics manufacturing), the works. Eventually she became a 60 hour a week IT drone. She’s also a double major undergrad CS and Stat and two grad degrees in Stat and IE. </p>
<p>In her consulting days she runs into a lot of IE types that work in huge companies on process improvements and the like (i.e. improve paperwork, processes, and so on). </p>
<p>Heavy doses of math/stat and also computer classes and you’re also looking into analytics. IE is very versatile.</p>
<p>Like I said, I have only taken one class. I would say I like it much more than most other subjects at school like history, English, etc. I just worry about going into a job and getting frustrated if code were not to work and then what in addition to sitting 24/7 in front of a computer.</p>
<p>I will give you the same advise I am giving my son: go for what you really like and what you are good at. Salaries and job markets vary and what is hot now may not be hot in four years. On top of that when you like something you tend to excel at it and good opportunities will come your way. A lot of programming is being outsourced to India, Brazil and Russia and I do not think this will change because their prices are very competitive. Think where you want to be in 5 and 10 years after graduation.</p>
I would avoid computer engineering. Expect to take multiple circuits courses and labs, signals, linear systems, analog electronics, and more. I would advise that you consider computer science or IE.</p>
<p>Getting an engineering degree first is not exactly an easy way to become a CPA, if that’s your goal.</p>
<p>I would suggest Computer Science rather than Computer Engineering.</p>
<p>I have a Bachelors in CS, and a Masters in IE. While IE was a lot more interesting, nobody seems to care about that degree. The people who contact me about jobs are only interested in my CS background.</p>
<p>I actually was about to switch to CS, but my advisor suggested to stay cause the computer engineer will end up in software and the hardware knowledge would be a valuable asset. I listened because I didn’t see the point in retaking more classes if the job outcome is the same.</p>
<p>My college has a one year MS Accounting/MBA designed for non business majors that accepts directly after undergrad.</p>
<p>And EE is too much physics for me.</p>
<p>Also, if I major in CompE with maybe a business minor will I be able to get a job in IE or will it be difficult? I am a hard worker and I know I can graduate with a decent GPA .</p>
<p>Being a Computer Anything Engineer does not mean all day at a desk in front of a computer. As one moves up the ladder and/or takes on my responsibilities of the finished hardware/software product and/or takes on more than one hardware/software product, the time spent in front of a computer crunching out code reduces. Your day may go like the following:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Work 2.5 hours adding new database tables to support a project of client ‘A’.</p></li>
<li><p>Travel to another site to help the business development team explain to a potential new client how we can help them with creating analyics for their business (another 2.5 hours).</p></li>
<li><p>Another 2.0 hours on the design on another system for client ‘B’</p></li>
<li><p>Add in 0.5 hours to prepare status reports</p></li>
<li><p>Add in 0.5 hours to post on College Confidential (and charge it one of the above clients)…LOL!</p></li>
</ul>
<p>If you like Computer Science - don’t let anyone tell you it’s a subpar major. My older brother went to SLU for computer science and he has had NO trouble finding jobs wherever he’s gone. He now works for US Bank with customer service or something. CS is a different discipline than CE. While CE majors can applications in the CS industry, CS majors specialize in places that are in their own right.</p>
<p>Many of the engineering disciplines are very versatile. Chemical, Civil, Industrial, Electrical, Mechanical, can all be applied to a huge variety of career options.</p>
<p>Test the waters then decide of the two, just pick the one you like. If the 10k/year means that much to you, then go for the cash. I highly doubt any engineer would be sitting hours in front of a computer, so I wouldn’t be worried about that. Although, I am a bit confused, I was fairly certain all the engineering majors had their fair share of physics. If I’m right, CS is a high-paying salary with a huge job market. It’s a lot of math and not as much physics, so it may suite you.</p>
<p>I suggest IE. If you have a marginal interest in computer science and a strong interest in mathematics (especially statistics), that sounds like an IE mindset. Programming is a very nice skill to have.</p>
<p>Computer Engineering is about making hardware. It is a bad path for software engineering jobs. I kind of agree with neo but if you have an interest in CS, you are better off doing CS. It is more employable than IE. It has a lot of math, programming, the starting salary is the same as cpe and better job security than cpe and IE. If those are the things you are looking for</p>
<p>If you want to do hardware the best path is EE even though it is physics intensive.</p>
<p>I thought CE was software+ hardware, you learn programming and can get a job. The reason I think in front of a computer all day, there is a thread asking what software engineers do on page 1, and everyone has said hours in front of the computer and nothing else from people actually doing it.</p>
<p>My ultimate goal is not CPA; instead that is my backup in case after I graduate and hate my job options.</p>
<p>Looking at my 4 year plan I do not see extensive physics . If anything they have to do with circuits on a level that is not general physics.</p>
<p>Also, the reason I am hesitant with IE, is that they say its looked down upon for being “easy” and if its similar to a math major, I worry about the job market. I have loans to pay and need to make sure a job is possible.</p>
<p>From what I’ve heard, just about everyone with an IE degree gets a job, albeit not that easily. You really have to put in effort to find a job, but the jobs are there for the taking. My experience with actual IEs I know supports this conclusion.</p>
<p>The whole discussion about relative difficulty of engineering degrees is utterly pointless and you can just discount it completely.</p>
<p>Most computer engineering departments prepare you for hardware or embedded software jobs with little exposure to programming. A lot of people can get programming jobs even if there degree covers very little programming (Math, physics, EE). If the CPE curriculum is not physic-intensive then it is probably almost the same as a CS degree. If you truly like IE, you should do it. Whether a major is easy or hard doesn’t matter. i.e. physics is harder than business but business majors have an easier time finding jobs. The problem with IE is that it doesn’t open as many doors as a CS or CPE plus they usually make less on average. If you like CS and have good math skills, go for CS. But if you have little interest in CS and programming, go with IE</p>
<p>A spinoff of IE…Systems Engineering is a very good GRADUATE degree major. SysE focuses on putting together (and overseeing) the complete process of producing an engineering product/solution. At that time in your career, you have more responsibility.</p>
<p>I would not recommend SysE as an undergrad major because one hasn’t done years of experience in an engineering area to even apply SysE techniques.</p>
<p>That does have less physics than other CpE degrees I’ve seen.
Northeastern is a respectable school. With a good GPA you should be able to get coop positions and that will help you tremendously when applying for jobs. IE is more business-oriented and I think it would be a better fit for you. YMMV.</p>
<p>I cant comfortably say CS is interesting to me because I have only taken one class and it was obviously not too extensive. I like the idea of how it makes the computer react; but there were times I would be really frustrated if it didn’t work. I don’t know if I am good at it as the curriculum most likely isn’t as extensive as a job would be.</p>
<p>I think I will look into IE a little more or consider finishing with CompE and getting a job out of software I am not pleased after the co ops. thank you everyone for your help!</p>