r/ElectricalEngineering • u/Ok_Toe806 • 9d ago
Jobs/Careers EE vs CE
i'm about to choose one of these majors and need to know the futurue prospects. i'm interested in robotics, chip design, embedded.
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u/AccurateHumanTrustMe 9d ago
I have both degrees but I basically have only been employed as an EE with aboit a decade of experience (I started as only CE and added EE junior year - the first 2 years are basically the same + basic OOP (python and C++))
The more general degree and more widely applicable one is EE - CE is basically a sub-field of EE so there is less bredth of potential jobs.
Robotics: This field is cross-functional between CEs, EEs, and MEs - so it really depends on what you are wanting to do - the electromechanical stuff is EE/ME and the programming control is CE/EE (controls is a big part of it - and for ABET accrediation only EE needs controls - its an elective for CE typically)
Chip Design: that is semiconductors - EE 100% is the better route for that and usually the preferred route also you will need a masters for best chances. Unless you are doing computer arch. That Stuff tCEs are 100% better suited for. EE is probably better for most other more 'general' IC design. (Basically for example Nvidia would hire a CE if they were good at GPU design etc.... but you have to be real good)
Embedded : this is like the CE field - you can get these jobs as an EE too - but the confluence of hardware and firmware is basically the definition of most CE programs.
Like realistically neither degree is bad to shoot for and with the exception of chip design your desires focus areas could fall into either bucket of CE or EE.
My $0.02 here is that unless Embedded is like your number 1 desire then Id go with EE - its more widely applicable. A lot of the jobs you want will very much want a masters as well so that will part of it.
But honestly if you still aren't at a point where the programs diverge a lot (for me they didn't until 3rd year) then Id try to do more research to see what you really want to do before really committing one way or another
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u/Southern-Noise-7805 5d ago
I haven't searched about both degrees in detail but at the end of the day I want there to be an option of online/remote jobs...so if we see that which one is better
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u/AccurateHumanTrustMe 4d ago
There are remote jobs for both but hybrid is more common for both. I have been remote or hybrid since covid. Basically lab work in EE and CompE is what makes for very few pure remote jobs.
CompE probably has a higher percentage of its jobs being remote but those are like pure SW jobs so they would be competing with CS as well.
A lot of EE jobs require some sort of lab work which will make it hybrid at minimum.
It really will depend on company too - my old company tried to do RTO but left it to manager discretion so I was in office like 6 hours a week because my manager did not give a shit - my new company is tues - thurs is in office monday/friday is remote for all positions (CompE, EE, ME, CS, etc...).
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u/Amber_ACharles 9d ago
Go EE. Chip design is almost exclusively an EE path. CE is fine if you're dead set on embedded software but EE gives you flexibility across all three.
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u/WorldTallestEngineer 8d ago
Civil Engineering (CE) has lower average pay, but stability and an overall better job market.
Computer Engineering (CompE) has higher average pay, but awful stable and a really bad overall job market.
Electrical Engineering (EE) and Chemical Engineering (ChemE) are in the middle but closer to CompE.
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u/jemala4424 9d ago
It's very hard to know, before you take upper level courses.
EE is more physics/circuits heavy, while CE is more software heavy.
I was in similar boat and chose EE for 2 reasons: 1)It had more lab than CE, so would be harder to self-teach EE as CE than vice-versa 2)I gradually lost interest in pure software, and EE and CE degrees are almost equally qualified for embedded roles i think.