Physics major with Mechanical Engineering minor
11-27-2007, 09:01 AM
#21
hehe, I basically advised you the same way via PM. An engineering degree with a minor in physics is MUCH better for career potential. Most people in the industry would consider an eng degree as the dominant of the two. With an eng degree, you will also be considered more valuable to an employer when compared with guys that just have physics degrees. You should still be able to get the physics jobs if you wish. The eng HELPS that.
Besides, here is some more motivation for you:
Look at the top degrees on the list. I don't see physics mentioned anywhere
http://money.cnn.com/2007/07/11/pf/c...ries/index.htm
Also, keep in mind those are average starting salaries right out of college. Eng degreed people also move up from that baseline pretty quickly in 5-8 years. Six figures in no time.
Besides, here is some more motivation for you:
Look at the top degrees on the list. I don't see physics mentioned anywhere
http://money.cnn.com/2007/07/11/pf/c...ries/index.htm
Also, keep in mind those are average starting salaries right out of college. Eng degreed people also move up from that baseline pretty quickly in 5-8 years. Six figures in no time.
11-27-2007, 09:50 AM
#22
The last big company I was at hired their graduate (electrical) engineers (kids straight out of college who knew nothing) in at $58k/year.
They worked them 40 hours a week and overtime was rare. Not bad for a 23 year old with no experience. From what I heard, they paid slightly below average.
They worked them 40 hours a week and overtime was rare. Not bad for a 23 year old with no experience. From what I heard, they paid slightly below average.
11-27-2007, 10:02 AM
#23
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The last big company I was at hired their graduate (electrical) engineers (kids straight out of college who knew nothing) in at $58k/year.
They worked them 40 hours a week and overtime was rare. Not bad for a 23 year old with no experience. From what I heard, they paid slightly below average.
They worked them 40 hours a week and overtime was rare. Not bad for a 23 year old with no experience. From what I heard, they paid slightly below average.
11-27-2007, 10:50 AM
#24
more feedback:
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/answers2...1181636AA92AC2
salaries with PhD in Physics:
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/...Physics/Salary
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/answers2...1181636AA92AC2
salaries with PhD in Physics:
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/...Physics/Salary
11-27-2007, 11:15 AM
#25
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Well, the pure physics is for me. I don't want to "sellout" for engineering. 
I explicitly want to learn Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, and so forth in graduate school, but on the more applied side of things, solid state/atomic/molecular physics interests me the most. At this point, I need to figure out what the best minor is I can take with my physics major to give me more job opportunities. I suppose with a business minor I could get some kind of quasi-technical business jerk job.
Also, with all the required math courses I have to take for my physics major, I could take one more advanced math course and minor in mathematics.
I explicitly want to learn Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, and so forth in graduate school, but on the more applied side of things, solid state/atomic/molecular physics interests me the most. At this point, I need to figure out what the best minor is I can take with my physics major to give me more job opportunities. I suppose with a business minor I could get some kind of quasi-technical business jerk job.Also, with all the required math courses I have to take for my physics major, I could take one more advanced math course and minor in mathematics.
11-27-2007, 11:18 AM
#26
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The smart thing would to do is get your engineering degree, get a bad *** job and then continue with school for what you love doing. That way you are still making a good living and can afford to play with the things that you want to do!
