<p>Specfically, after several months, I'm still deciding what science/engineering to pursue at University. I'm narrowing it down to a pure science major, but I like both physics and chemistry. Question: which one of the two (a Chem major or a Physics major) would be more useful and open up more options in the future (for a good, stable, and profitable career, or good research)?</p>
<p>short answer: i’d do physics. and consider taking organic/inorganic chemistry. maybe some biochem classes if thats what interests you also. </p>
<p>but really, it depends on what you want to do. what do you consider a good career? money? being able to come home at 5 pm everyday? there may be plenty of jobs in ***** sector, but whats to say you want them? </p>
<p>there are almost always some job openings related to people who have programming skills, for example.</p>
<p>EDIT: yey 400 posts.</p>
<p>Definitely avoid a chem or bios major, unless $15 an hour without benefits sounds good to you. The degree isn’t worth the paper it is printed on.</p>
<p>Engineering is still a decent option. So is computer science.</p>
<p>Chemical Engineering. It’s more lucrative than both (as long as you get a job)</p>
<p>@Flemmyd: Thank you for your input. I have taken orgo, I am taking a biochem class, and I have programming experience. I would consider a good career one I can feed my future kids on, give them a good education, middle-class, send them off to a good school, etc. If I can afford that (and maybe just enough extra for hobbies, vacationing) I will be satisfied.</p>
<p>@sschoe2: I see you reply with that all across the forums. What is your experience with the chem field?</p>
<p>@yg7s7: Chem eng is cool, but I feel like I am more intersted in the pure sciences, and I would probably fail out of the chem eng program here at Berkeley lol.</p>
<p>Had several friends in physics. Can’t find a decent job and switched to computer, or worked at Wall Street, using his math skills (A Ph. D. in Astrophysics.)
On the other hand, chemistry is a better field to be in. Most of my friends (and including yours truly) are still gainfully employed after 20 years…</p>
<p>My experience is that it is terrible. I graduated several years ago with an MSc in Chemistry and have not broken 40k nor benefits. Companies treat their chemists and biologists like trash. Heck they do better by their janitors and other blue collar workers. They hire you via temp agencies to shield themselves from employer regulations and from having to pay benefits. In exchange the temp agency steals 1/3 to 1/2 of what would be your paycheck. They pay $15 to $20 an hour no benefits, sick leave, vacation, you can be let go with no notice via 1 phone call. </p>
<p>I have been searching for a better job the entire time I have been in this temp job. However, 75% or more of the jobs are temp also called contract. Every so often a perm position pops up that is slightly better and everyone in the area floods them with resumes. </p>
<p>The one refuge is jobs for the Fed govt but again they are flooded with applicants and hiring is starting to dry up with an impending budget crises. I’ve been trying for years.</p>
<p>At this point science is like a really bad spouse. I take nothing but abuse and I can no longer remember why I ever loved it. Most of my colleagues feel the same way and are looking to leave the field. I work in the food industry but it is the same in pharma and other industries. Permatemps. It is no way to live.</p>
<p>[Working</a> as a Chemist](<a href=“http://chemistry.about.com/u/ua/educationemployment/chemists.htm]Working”>What It's Like Being a Chemist)
[Voting</a> with their Wallets](<a href=“http://www.scienceprogress.org/2009/12/voting-with-their-wallets/]Voting”>http://www.scienceprogress.org/2009/12/voting-with-their-wallets/)
[The</a> Real Science Gap | Smart Journalism. Real Solutions. Miller-McCune.](<a href=“miller-mccune.com”>miller-mccune.com)
[Women</a> in Science](<a href=“http://philip.greenspun.com/careers/women-in-science]Women”>Women in Science)
[Scientist</a> shortage? Maybe not - USATODAY.com](<a href=“http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2009-07-08-science-engineer-jobs_N.htm]Scientist”>http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2009-07-08-science-engineer-jobs_N.htm)</p>
<p>Can you double major? That way your options are more open. Of course, the workload is more and you may not want to put that much effort in. You may want to consider co-op or internship assignments to get an idea of what it’s like in the real world.</p>
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<p>The [UC</a> Berkeley career center](<a href=“https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/Major.stm]UC”>https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/Major.stm) has 2010 graduate survey results available now (as well as previous years for comparison – look at 2009 for an idea of what graduating in the depths of a recession is like).</p>
<p>(Major: employed (average pay) / unemployed / grad school / other)
Astrophysics: 0% (NA) / 25% / 63% / 12%
Chemical Engineering: 48% ($63,536) / 3% / 40% / 9%
Chemistry: 15% (NA) / 15% / 55% / 15%
Civil and Environmental Engineering: 18% ($42,000) / 20% / 48% / 14%
Computer Science (L&S): 63% ($76,733) / 6% / 19% / 12%
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science: 55% ($73,045) / 7 % / 31% / 7%
Industrial Engineering and Operations Research: 62% ($57,233) / 12% / 19% / 7%
Integrative Biology: 34% ($42,375) / 22% / 19% / 25%
Materials Science and Engineering: 11% (NA) / 11% / 67% / 11%
Mathematics: 21% (NA) / 18% / 41% / 20%
Mechanical Engineering: 34% ($62,863) / 17% / 42% / 7%
Molecular and Cell Biology: 36% ($40,398) / 15% / 27% / 22%
Physics: 32% ($58,000) / 3% / 42% / 22%
Statistics: 44% ($59,256) / 22% / 19% / 15%</p>
<p>Note: job titles listed for employed EECS graduates imply that most employed graduates are working in CS, as opposed to EE; those in graduate school have a higher proportion in EE. CEE graduates have a graduate school percentage higher than in previous years, perhaps because many of them realized last year that it is better to wait out the recession in graduate school than in the unemployment line. Statistics graduates’ job titles appear to be heavily tilted toward the finance industry.</p>
<p>In chemistry and biology the majority of those that are employed are research assistants or technicians of some kind probably making ~$30k. Most went to grad school where they will spend 5-7 years living of a $15k stipend only to wind up getting a $35k post doc when they graduate. There are way better options for people smart enough for science.</p>
<p>I see someone didn’t get a PhD.</p>
<p>I agree with sschoe2 on one point: Getting merely a BS degree will not get you too far in chemistry and biology. They are a dime for a dozen…That is how the supply and demand works. You will need to get a Ph.D in the right field in science in order to go far. In terms of getting a well-paid job, nothing beats working on the Wall street. These guys spent 4 years in college and get paid well. Even if you are not getting 5 billion per year pay check like John Paulson did two years in a roll, you are assured a hefty pay check. last year, the collective bonus for folks on the wall street is over 150 Billion. That is some dough that not many can bragg about, not even a professor in Harvard.</p>
<p>Don’t think a Ph. D is any better. The majority of my colleagues that decided to get the Ph. D. wound up post-docing because there was nothing else they could do. Also it took them 7 years. They were even talking about leaving the Ph. D. off the resume to get any job. </p>
<p>I just think you have to be nuts to put all that effort and endure all those nights studying and working in the lab rather than partying when the most likely outcome is you will either be unemployed or earning less than a garbageman.</p>
<p>Here is a good site where Ph. D. level chemists are trying desperately to change careers.
[If</a> You’re Not A Chemist - What Next?. In the Pipeline:](<a href=“http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2010/08/11/if_youre_not_a_chemist_what_next.php]If”>http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2010/08/11/if_youre_not_a_chemist_what_next.php)</p>
<p>If your degree has bio, medical, biomedical or anything to do with biology in it, it’s trash and worthless.</p>
<p>Anything that touches biology, medicine or pharmaceuticals dies.</p>
<p>Hey guys, I am from India and new to this forum. I need some advice on which university I should enroll to?
I have been accepted at purdue,uiuc,minnesotta,penn state,rutgers.
I am waiting for wisconsin madison and umich.
I want to major in applied math and statistics.</p>
<p>^Start your own thread in forums like Engineering majors forum and this one. You’ll get more responses.</p>