Majoring in Physics or Engineering?

I am currently a freshman majored in physics and am interested in this area. But considering the practicality of the major, I plan to pursue mechanical/aerospace engineering in graduate study. So can I achieve a bachelor in physics and apply for a master in engineering, or should I better take ME as my major (and maybe a minor in physics)? And what are the pros and cons of each path in my future graduate’s application and study?

People do this all the time, though you’ll be playing catch up. You’ll definitely have an easier go of it if you were to start in engineering.

There should be substantial overlap in the first year or two of physics and ME course work, so you can work toward both for now and decide later, perhaps after taking the introductory first year engineering courses to get a better idea of what engineering is like.

Science is the study of the natural universe, while engineering is the act of solving design problems using science.

Remember also that physics majors do very well in the job market. Check the American Institute of Physics web site for details about employment of physics majors. However, if your end goal is to be an engineer or get an engineering graduate degree, then you are probably better off doing engineering with a physics minor.

Average salary is an absolutely terrible way of judging whether something is a “tough field” for graduates. A lot more physics majors decide to go on to teach high school than engineers, for example. That’s going to bring down the average.

That is strange. It was definitely there an hour ago but seems to have disappeared.

It depends on what career path you want to pursue. Engineering and Physic is not the same thing. Physics focus more on discovery, prediction, and explanation of nature and the universe while engineering’s main focus is on creating and design while making use of what is discovered by scientist. If like using mathematical models, abstractions and doing experiments than physics might be the major for you.

Consider also double majoring.

I just reviewed a list of recent undergraduates from a STEM University and found Physics double majors with:
Aerospace. Biochemistry, CS, EE, MA, and ME. That was a small sample from a small University over a three year period.

Since you already want to go into Engineering, I don’t see the advance to majoring in Physics first. I think it makes more sense to go with engineering and minor in physics if you want more physics classes.

I agree with IncorE206. Physics is more about theory and discovery.