<p>"Much like how avg engineering salaries are usually higher than avg econ salaries even when comparing CMU(55s-60sk starting) vs say, Upenn Wharton (55k starting)"</p>
<p>Are you trying to suggest that engineering salaries are higher than wharton econ salaries? If so, that's the funniest thing I've ever heard. They say, "Lawyers can say they work for justice, doctors can say they work to save people's lives, but ibankers can only justify their occupation by saying they do it for the money." </p>
<p>A large percentage of Wharton grads(40+%) accept jobs at investment banks where half of their salary(or more as you move up the ladder) is hidden as a bonus. So that 55k starting is very misleading. If you look at net income (salary+bonus), the Whartoners are making 55k + 60k bonus in their first year coming out to a total well above 100k in their first year.</p>
<p>Starting salaries, yes. It is common knowledge the average engineering starting salary is higher than avg business salaries.</p>
<p>This is why I am proposing that we cannot judge ECE vs CS as well as we would want to because many ECE people go into consulting (business) while a lot more CS people go into programming (which gives high starting salaries).</p>
<p>First off, they are called Whartonites. Second, you are proving my point in that ECE grads who go into business do not report their bonuses either in avg salaries while CS programmers have no annual bonuses.</p>
<p>My point was not to compare Wharton and CMU but to compare how ECE grads in business do not report their bonuses and thus show a bit of a deflated avg salary. This fact, along with the fact that avg starting salaries for business are a bit deflated when not going into I-banking, shows why ECE and SCS comparisons are not truly fair.</p>
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This is why I am proposing that we cannot judge ECE vs CS as well as we would want to because many ECE people go into consulting (business) while a lot more CS people go into programming (which gives high starting salaries).
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<p>Oh, plenty of us CS types go into consulting, too, Accepted. I suspect you're not going to find many ECE types making what the average partner in my firm does, either. YMMV</p>
<p>Probably true but not as much as ECE people do. I know the people in Tepper hate ECE ppl more 'cause they tend to compete with us more for jobs.
I said earlier that ECE majors usually apply to SCS because of the "prestige" and that SCS people do get better interns(jobs) when going after the same kind of jobs.</p>
<p>However, this doesn't mean ECE is at all bad/2nd rate. Honestly, I'd be happy at either one and I'd rather pick the major based on individual interests (hardware vs software) rather than just being a prestige whore or worrying about a few extra average thousand in salaries.</p>
<p>I can't imagine there's anything wrong with ECE if that's what you want to do. And the split between ECE and CS has to be a personal choice.</p>
<p>(BTW, I'm serious. I don't know anyone in the major consulting firms that hires that many ECEs. I'm most familiar with business and IT consulting, of course, but I'm comfortable with what I'm saying and that group covers a lot of ground.)</p>
<p>Strict11? are you doing your CS from CMU?</p>
<p>My S is. I work for one of the largest consulting firms in the world and hire guys like that.</p>