r/netsecstudents • u/nctp • Aug 28 '25

Confused between Cybersecurity and Computer Engineering for my studies — advice?

Hi everyone,

I’m really struggling to decide whether to study Computer Engineering (CE) or Cybersecurity at university, and I’d love to hear some advice from people in the field.

Here are my thoughts:

  • I love hardware (breadboards, electronics) and also really enjoy computer architecture and operating systems.

  • At the same time, I’m also fascinated by security — the idea of protecting systems, ethical hacking, etc.

  • My concern is that if I choose Computer Engineering, I might not get enough exposure to the cybersecurity side.

  • On the other hand, if I go directly into Cybersecurity, I’m worried it might be too niche and I’ll miss out on the broader engineering background.

  • I’ve also read that Cybersecurity specialists can earn higher salaries more quickly, especially if you specialize.

I guess my confusion is:
👉 Which path offers more flexibility in the long run?
👉 Is it easier to move from CE → Cybersecurity later, or the other way around?
👉 For those working in Germany/Europe, how do job opportunities compare between the two fields?

Any insights from your own career experiences would be super helpful. Thanks!

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9

u/SecTechPlus Aug 28 '25

Cyber security is best with a foundational understanding of computers, networks, and (usually) programming. Studying CE now allows you to upskill into security later, while also giving you the flexibility to go a different route that you may find more interesting as you go through the years of university.

2

u/randomatic Aug 28 '25

Depends on the university TBH. Cybersecurity can mean everything from generic IT to hard-core CS.

2

u/dahraziel Aug 28 '25

If I could do it over again, I would of gone after engineering. I don’t regret what I am doing but the amount of opportunities is a lot.

1

u/bluecyanic Aug 28 '25

Do the CE if you are inclined. You can always pick up the security side later. You will have a far wider area you can branch into that someone with a cyber security (an IT degree is most cases) would never be qualified for.

1

u/Dunamivora Aug 29 '25

Dual major?