Computer Science vs Electrical Engineering

[Chaotic42]

I'd say EE. It sounds more interesting. As far as jobs, I'm not sure. An applied CS degree is a nice value-add to some other skillset. I have a BS in mathematics and I'm applying to grad school for an MS in applied CS. I've been with my company for more than nine years, so I think I'll have a decent resume when it's all said and done. Might go for a PhD in Computational Science, but I'm not sure.

I think you could certainly do worse than those two degrees, so assuming you enjoy the work, either would be fine.

 

[Aikouka]

You guys are getting Computer Science and Software Engineering mixed up.

Software Engineer is just a title that you get that means you should be able to work on any part of a software's life cycle whether it's the requirements (albeit, most people call this "systems engineering"), design, implementation or test. Software Developer is usually just a position where you code. You may need to do some design work for your own stuff, but that's about it. Before someone says, "But you unit test too! That's testing, right?" No, that's not part of test; that's part of development.

Computer Science = you get outsourced by somebody in India.
Electrical Engineer = you get outsourced by somebody in China.

Take your pick

That's why you work in defense. So, the only one that can lay you off is Congress. Better to know who fucks you over than for it to be some random dude in Mumbai!

 

[purbeast0]

Job titles are a joke.

oh ok, but a random internet guy knows better, gotcha!

(but i do agree slightly).

 

[brianmanahan]

EE by far. I can write code just as well as any CS

lol i bet

you probably havent written a unit test before

 

[ussfletcher]

Computer Engineering, its the best of both worlds, you are basically qualified to start in either field or anywhere inbetween.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Computer science courses tend to have lot of programming, and not much real world IT related stuff like hardware. Most companies outsource programming, so unless you want to try to make it to Google, MS or other big company and have to move away from family/people you know, the odds of landing a coding job are slim. Even IT is something that is often being outsourced or downsized these days. So basically, jobs in IT/computers as a whole are not that easy to find like they used to when computers were the coolest new thing. Now it's seen as a cost. You are basically a glorified janitor. There WILL be jobs though, just not as many as people seem to think. I got lucky that there was a help desk opening pretty much as soon as I graduated so I started there, moved to server tech, then ended up going to NOC which is more on the telecommunications side but guess it could sorta fall under IT.

EE can open lot of doors, from electrician to higher end industrial electrical type jobs. Though it does require lot of math, so if you're not good at math it could be a problem.

Also look in your area to see how many jobs there are in both fields, as that might help.

 

[TuxDave]

Computer Engineering, its the best of both worlds, you are basically qualified to start in either field or anywhere inbetween.

I'm not sure a computer engineer can start designing high frequency RF circuits. Computer engineering is a specialization. It doesn't encompass all of EE.

As for the OP. I'm an EE. I actually do mostly computer engineering work except that I have a deeper insight into circuits. At least around in the Bay Area, I sometimes think that if I had a CS degree I could be one of those guys writing up some crazy startup software. At least the barrier of making your own software seems to be lower vs me coming up with some hardware product.

 

[slpaulson]

I did "Computer Engineering - under the Engineering school but a bit of a mix of CS/EE. Didn't get down into the nitty gritty physics of EE, and took more coding/algo classes than EE and more hardware design classes than CS (none).
Am working as a Software engineer, I feel it prepared me well. Understanding the hardware and the levels of code all the way down is nice.

I'm pretty much in the same boat. We have quite a few EE/CmpE people at work who have done well for themselves mostly writing software/firmware.

 

[IEC]

Computer Science = you get outsourced by somebody in India.
Electrical Engineer = you get outsourced by somebody in China.

Take your pick

Sadly, this is all too true in many companies. They would rather get someone via H1B visa to do the same job for less pay.

If you do EE or CS you should find some way to differentiate yourself, either by pursuing further education and getting at least a master's degree or by working for a defense contractor and obtaining TS clearance.

 

[Rumpltzer]

I've taken my degrees in EE, and I did a CS minor while in undergrad. If I had to do it again, I'd skip the CS minor. My CS minor was a lot of theory and logic crap whereas I was hoping for nuts and bolts programming.

Whichever one you choose, differentiate yourself by working internships through undergrad. My first gig after freshman year was programming; freshman interns are most useful if they can program. Once you get one internship, it's easy to get a second.

I stayed in school through PhD, and walked into a research position in defense when I left school. It's pretty much PhDs working on programs that enable our gubment to kill our enemies in a more efficient manner. In my area, we don't really differentiate a masters from an undergrad as far as tasking goes, but I imagine their salaries are different.

 

[CountZero]

EE is extremely broad.

At a high level it encompasses:
1) RF design (think antennas, radar, optics)
2) High power (think power plants, distribution, building level electrical problems)
3) Circuit design (think amplifiers, board level designs)
4) Digital design (think embedded systems, drivers, firmware)
5) Signal processing
6) Controls and robotics
7) Semiconductors (digital chip design, analog chip design, process design)

CS can overlap in some areas like digital design and signal processing. CE might even pick up some semiconductor/circuit design (though not nearly at the level of an EE)

In my experience I have seen EEs work in software oriented roles that hire majority CS/CEs but I have never seen a CS/CE work in a hardware role. I have seen people with physics degrees work in hardware roles.

On benefit (so far) to EE is that it seems to suffer less from ageism than software. Whether that will hold in the long term no one knows.

 

[mistercrabby]

One is not inherently better (worse). Seems like a lot of emotional baggage people carrrying around on the topic.

 

[Gsingh123]

Well it is all about on the interest of the students that what s/he wants to do EE or CS..

They both are the different fields of work...

 

[ringtail]

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[z1ggy]

If you are smart enough and can handle the work load... Then EE all day.

As an EE you can work on almost any type of project.

I should know... As that's what my degree is in.

 

[PenguinPower]

my job title and company would like to have a word with you.

Can you become a EIT or PE? No? You're not an engineer. You've been titled something to make you feel more important.

 

[exdeath]

No option for both.

Write the VHDL for your CPU and synthesize it, then write the software to boot it.

Or have the skills to be a project manager that can coordinate software and hardware development teams.