Engineering PhD salaries

[emericana]

Question:

 

I am totally 100% switching fields at the moment. Couldn't really switch any more so.

 

I got a BA in Molecular, Cellular, and Dev Bio. The reasons?

 

Well honestly, I have no idea. I finished college and realize that I hated everything that I had done for the past four years, and have no desire to work in biology.

 

I have always loved technology so I am switching to engineering. The first love of my life has been computers so I plan on hopefully going to grad school for computer engineering (through boston universities innovative LEAP program).

 

I allready know how to write some computer code (C++ html javascript css a little java) and back in the day used to volt mod and overclock my computer so I think that I should be able to handle it.

 

Anywho, after my long winded rant about my life...

 

I was thinking at first about doing a molecular PhD program, and know all about it (I actually conducted research for two years during my undergraduate education... and while I learned then that I loved research, I also learned when i finished college that I was in the wrong field LOL).

 

Anywho, I know for biomedical scientists the usual course of action is:

 

grad school

 

post doc (make 38k)

2nd post doc

3rd post doc

either make a professor position or go to industry or be a lawyer.

 

 

Is this the same for engineering? ECE? I would imagine that because there is so many industry applications the funding must be much much better? Am I totally wrong? Or am I going to be looking at 38k when I finally finish the program and get the PhD (in probably 7 years from now.... haha this is going to be one hell of a long road).

 

Thanks for the help! Let me know if this was too long winded and I can further explain what I am talking about.

[CharonY]

Well the example that you put out for biomed scientists is a bit optimistic. Working at a national institute can give you 38k, but the average is lower. I have seen salaries from 30-40k. Of course it is not an automatic progression, you only make postdocs because you could not get a faculty or industrial position fast enough.

Also note that faculty is not the end of the road. The really important bit is tenure, which is usually at least 5 years after the initial faculty position.

 

Engineers enter faculty earlier. However it is expected that they enter earlier. I.e. if you do not find a faculty position within two postdocs at the latest, your chances of ever getting one will plummet. I have seen fresh PhDs immediately getting a position, but usually that only works if your advisor has good contacts and an interest in promoting your career.