Quote: (12-01-2013 07:55 PM)CJ_W Wrote:
-Which type of enginering should I specialize in that would best help me fufill these ideas in mind?
-What type of Engineers/Engineering majors make the most money?
-Which type is Engineering is the most fun?
I am about to enter the engineering world, and over the past couple years I have put a basic map together in my mind of how it all works.
Of the top of my head, there is mechanical engineering, civil engineering, biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, industial engineering, and materials engineering.
Outside of one of these, I can only give a basic breakdown of what you will do with these degrees:
Mechanical engineering - anything to related to moving parts, fluid motion, thermodynamics, and heat transfer.
Civil engineering = mostly related to the design of buildings, and bridges.
Biomedical engineering - mostly related to electronic and mechanical devices used in the medical field.
Electrical engineering - related to circuitry, electricity, and electronics.
Computer science - almost entirely coding.
Materials engineering - revolves around the material selection for a large variety of objects created.
Industrial engineering - spreadsheets.
I would suggest doing an in depth search on these degrees to get a better understanding of them.
Based on my understanding, there are three trajectories for someone who enters the engineering field. Each trajectory has its own risk associated with it and as always, the higher the risk, the higher the payoff.
Before entering any of the trajectories, obviously you have to start off as either a design or field engineer. The job of a design engineer revolves around designing modifications to preexisting devices or designing an entirely new device. Field engineers go out into the world and work with people to maintain and ensure the effective use of devices that are already in operation.
Trajectory 1: Enter the engineering world under a specific field. Build a base of knowledge within that field and eventually move on from being a grunt to a senior engineer that can be called on for advice or directly manage engineers who are less experienced. From what I have heard, a high performing and highly competent engineer who continues in this trajectory, their pay grade maxes out about 200,000$ per year with a decent level of variance.
Trajectory 2: Enter the engineering world under a specific field. Build a base of knowledge within that field and eventually move on to start your own small business offering a service to other people within that field. If you are an effective businessman, the pay grade maxes out around 400,000$+.
Trajectory 3: This is the last and riskiest trajectory, but it is also the one with major payoffs. Enter the engineering world under a specific field. Build a base of knowledge within that field and find a device within that field that can be improved in a profitable way. Start a small business off of this alteration and attract investors. Create the improvement, patent it, and sell the company to a larger company within the field. My friend who works for a small biomedical company, his boss did this. She created company that would make a small improvement to a device that could be sold repeatedly. The company did research & development over the course of 4=5 years and was sold for a large sum. She made 25 million dollars in the process. Since she owns the patent, she is going to continue remaking and selling companies that modify the device until she becomes a billionaire.
This post may not be entirely correct, but it is what I have put together in my mind as I have gone to college.