James
I'm 16 and I want to be a computer engineer/software engineer. I love computers and research them constantly. I know hardware components by heart and know how to build computers. I just want to know a little more about the field. Is the job hard? What are the benefits? How much do you get paid? Is it a stressful job with long hours? How was your experience learning it in college? Thanks for the info :)
Also, what's a good path do follow? What should I study in college? Are there any things I can do now to prepare?
Answer
Computer engineering is just a little bit more in depth than just building computers. Some of it involves understanding how each part works and how to make the parts talk to each other in different ways. Some of it involves programming to make computer parts talk to each other. Some of it involves system design, where you are actually designing the computer itself -- not picking out which components, but actually writing what each instruction does and how each instruction is executed.
The job comes with a lot of frustration because the trouble with computers is that they do exactly what you tell them, not what you want them to do. You often don't even really know what it is you're telling the computer to do when you start writing code, as you don't always know what goes on under the code (e.g. memory management, garbage collection, how does the algorithm actually work, etc.) But at the same time it's really rewarding because you get to see your work, well, work.
Computer engineering is an in-demand field. Typical starting salaries are in the $60,000/yr range, and there are plenty of jobs available, plus they usually come with a full range of benefits including health insurance, employee stock purchasing, retirement plans, employee discounts if you work somewhere that sells consumer stuff (such as Intel, getting discounts on Intel brand parts), and anything else that would make your liberal arts major friends jealous.
The hours depend on what kind of job. Some are salaried and have very flexible hours but expect a lot of results, some are pretty strict on time and you have to punch a time card, and a few even require odd hours, particularly if your job entails using heavy-duty computing hardware or 24-7 equipment support.
I went for electrical engineering, which is similar to computer engineering but with less focus on computers and more focus on physics. My brother is a software engineer with a degree in computer science, and my brothers in law all have computer engineering degrees.
What should you study in college? There's a computer engineering major. If you're more interested in coding, there is a computer science or software engineering major, and if you're more interested in antennas and wireless communications or more general electronics then you may want to consider electrical engineering. All of these choices open the door to computer engineering jobs.
What can you do now to prepare? Take math and science and programming. The engineering disciplines require an extensive amount of mathematics -- 2 or 3 semesters of calculus, plus linear algebra and ordinary differential equations. They also require 2 semesters of calculus-based physics (classical mechanics and electromagnetics). You will also be required to take at least 2 classes that are purely just programming (object oriented programming and computer systems). If you go for computer engineering then you will also have to take discrete mathematics (math for programming, such as graph theory, set theory, predicate calculus and computational grammar for interpreting instructions) and an additional software engineering class. All of this is before you can get into the real meat of computer engineering.
But don't be intimidated. It's all just another system you can figure out, and you'll be shown along the way how everything works.
Computer engineering is just a little bit more in depth than just building computers. Some of it involves understanding how each part works and how to make the parts talk to each other in different ways. Some of it involves programming to make computer parts talk to each other. Some of it involves system design, where you are actually designing the computer itself -- not picking out which components, but actually writing what each instruction does and how each instruction is executed.
The job comes with a lot of frustration because the trouble with computers is that they do exactly what you tell them, not what you want them to do. You often don't even really know what it is you're telling the computer to do when you start writing code, as you don't always know what goes on under the code (e.g. memory management, garbage collection, how does the algorithm actually work, etc.) But at the same time it's really rewarding because you get to see your work, well, work.
Computer engineering is an in-demand field. Typical starting salaries are in the $60,000/yr range, and there are plenty of jobs available, plus they usually come with a full range of benefits including health insurance, employee stock purchasing, retirement plans, employee discounts if you work somewhere that sells consumer stuff (such as Intel, getting discounts on Intel brand parts), and anything else that would make your liberal arts major friends jealous.
The hours depend on what kind of job. Some are salaried and have very flexible hours but expect a lot of results, some are pretty strict on time and you have to punch a time card, and a few even require odd hours, particularly if your job entails using heavy-duty computing hardware or 24-7 equipment support.
I went for electrical engineering, which is similar to computer engineering but with less focus on computers and more focus on physics. My brother is a software engineer with a degree in computer science, and my brothers in law all have computer engineering degrees.
What should you study in college? There's a computer engineering major. If you're more interested in coding, there is a computer science or software engineering major, and if you're more interested in antennas and wireless communications or more general electronics then you may want to consider electrical engineering. All of these choices open the door to computer engineering jobs.
What can you do now to prepare? Take math and science and programming. The engineering disciplines require an extensive amount of mathematics -- 2 or 3 semesters of calculus, plus linear algebra and ordinary differential equations. They also require 2 semesters of calculus-based physics (classical mechanics and electromagnetics). You will also be required to take at least 2 classes that are purely just programming (object oriented programming and computer systems). If you go for computer engineering then you will also have to take discrete mathematics (math for programming, such as graph theory, set theory, predicate calculus and computational grammar for interpreting instructions) and an additional software engineering class. All of this is before you can get into the real meat of computer engineering.
But don't be intimidated. It's all just another system you can figure out, and you'll be shown along the way how everything works.
Info on majoring in Computer Hardware Engineering!?
Hennjer A
I'm about to be a senior and i'm thinking about majoring in Computer Hardware Engineering. I have already done some research but would like to hear more about this major. For Example, How easy or hard is it to find a job, what are some skills that i should have, and how is the work environment. When i was round 13 (I'm 16 now, will graduate at 17) i lasted around a month learning about the computer's hardware, i got to the point where i knew how to build a computer parts for parts and i knew how the computer works. Do you guys think that this knowledge will help me out in this major? I wish i could get a good paying job right after graduating from college.
Answer
Professionals in computer engineering, called hardware engineers or computer engineers, create and test the physical components of computer systems, such as circuits, chips and boxes, as well as peripherals, such as routers, keyboards and printers. Their developments are used in many industries, including telecommunications, entertainment, and computer manufacturing. The career offers many advantages over other jobs.
Salaries
Computer hardware engineers earned high salaries, averaging $101,360 per year, or $48.73 per hour, as of May 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Even the lowest-paid 10 percent made up to $62,400 per year, or $30 hourly, while the top earners reached or exceeded $147,610 yearly, or $70.97 per hour. These earnings were well above the average of $45,230 per year, or $21.74 per hour, for all occupations in the country. The wages of the engineers were also above the mean salaries of all computer and math occupations, which were an annual $78,730, or $37.85. They were also above the averages for all engineering jobs, which ran $77,120 yearly, or $37.08 hourly.
Education
Six-figure salaries are achievable after many years of education, such as for lawyers, who require four years of law school after college, or for doctors, who have four years of medical schools, and three to eight years of residency. Computer engineers can start on the high-earning path with only a four-year bachelorâs degree for most entry-level positions. A masterâs degree can increase pay by 16 percent, according to the 2011 degree salary survey by Georgetown University. Students also develop the useful skill of computer programming, since software knowledge is needed for engineers to get their computer hardware components to function. In addition, they can gain practical experience in school through internships or co-ops.
Opportunities
Professionals in computer engineering will not want for jobs, with an expected average growth rate of 9 percent from 2010 to 2020, according to the statistics bureau. Though the outsourcing of computer manufacturing to foreign countries may affect employment, many companies are now contracting out their hardware designs. This provides opportunities for those working in computer consulting firms. From their present positions, hardware engineers who gain experience or show administrative acumen can become computer managers, who enjoy greater challenges, more responsibility, and higher pay. As of 2011, computer managers made an average $129,350 per year, or $62.29 per hour.
Intangibles
Computer engineering careers are admired as being on the forefront of technology, influencing such developments as the processing power of tablets, the entertainment capabilities of cell phones, and the speed of financial transactions. As with other engineering jobs, the job is considered prestigious, providing intellectual development and challenging work in a professional environment. Hardware engineers require creative thinking to come up with technological and scientific discoveries that affect everyday consumers. What they do benefits society and the countryâs ability to remain competitive on the global stage.
Professionals in computer engineering, called hardware engineers or computer engineers, create and test the physical components of computer systems, such as circuits, chips and boxes, as well as peripherals, such as routers, keyboards and printers. Their developments are used in many industries, including telecommunications, entertainment, and computer manufacturing. The career offers many advantages over other jobs.
Salaries
Computer hardware engineers earned high salaries, averaging $101,360 per year, or $48.73 per hour, as of May 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Even the lowest-paid 10 percent made up to $62,400 per year, or $30 hourly, while the top earners reached or exceeded $147,610 yearly, or $70.97 per hour. These earnings were well above the average of $45,230 per year, or $21.74 per hour, for all occupations in the country. The wages of the engineers were also above the mean salaries of all computer and math occupations, which were an annual $78,730, or $37.85. They were also above the averages for all engineering jobs, which ran $77,120 yearly, or $37.08 hourly.
Education
Six-figure salaries are achievable after many years of education, such as for lawyers, who require four years of law school after college, or for doctors, who have four years of medical schools, and three to eight years of residency. Computer engineers can start on the high-earning path with only a four-year bachelorâs degree for most entry-level positions. A masterâs degree can increase pay by 16 percent, according to the 2011 degree salary survey by Georgetown University. Students also develop the useful skill of computer programming, since software knowledge is needed for engineers to get their computer hardware components to function. In addition, they can gain practical experience in school through internships or co-ops.
Opportunities
Professionals in computer engineering will not want for jobs, with an expected average growth rate of 9 percent from 2010 to 2020, according to the statistics bureau. Though the outsourcing of computer manufacturing to foreign countries may affect employment, many companies are now contracting out their hardware designs. This provides opportunities for those working in computer consulting firms. From their present positions, hardware engineers who gain experience or show administrative acumen can become computer managers, who enjoy greater challenges, more responsibility, and higher pay. As of 2011, computer managers made an average $129,350 per year, or $62.29 per hour.
Intangibles
Computer engineering careers are admired as being on the forefront of technology, influencing such developments as the processing power of tablets, the entertainment capabilities of cell phones, and the speed of financial transactions. As with other engineering jobs, the job is considered prestigious, providing intellectual development and challenging work in a professional environment. Hardware engineers require creative thinking to come up with technological and scientific discoveries that affect everyday consumers. What they do benefits society and the countryâs ability to remain competitive on the global stage.
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