7 answers
Jazmin
Student
1
Question
Updated
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Electrical vs. Industrial Engineering
I’m a high school student trying to choose between Electrical Engineering and Industrial Engineering, and I’m considering universities in both Europe and the United States.
I want to be honest: I’m not currently passionate about Electrical Engineering specifically. A major reason I’m considering it is the career opportunities and earning potential, and I’m willing to work very hard to become good at it. I’m currently doing AS-Level Math and Physics, but I would describe myself as an average student in math/science rather than naturally gifted.
Industrial Engineering is actually the engineering field I’m most interested in because I like the combination of engineering, business, economics, optimization, and problem-solving. However, I’m worried about the job market and earning potential for Industrial Engineers, especially in Europe and the US.
For someone with my background:
1. How difficult is Electrical Engineering actually at university?
2. Can an average math/science student realistically succeed in EE with enough studying, tutoring, and persistence?
3. What are the main career paths and earning potential for Electrical vs. Industrial Engineering in Europe and the US?
4. Is choosing EE mainly for its stronger job market and salary potential a reasonable decision if I don’t currently have a strong interest in electricity/electronics?
5. If you were in my position, would you choose the field you find more interesting (Industrial Engineering) or the one with potentially stronger technical career opportunities (Electrical Engineering)?
6. What do you wish you had known before choosing your engineering major?
I’d especially appreciate answers from people who have actually studied or worked in Electrical or Industrial Engineering.
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7 answers
Wes Godard
Technical Sales Engineer
2
Answers
Portland, Oregon
Updated
Wes’s Answer
It sounds like earning potential is very important to you and may be the deciding factor. I studied electrical engineering in college, but shifted to Business after 3 years because working with people to solve problems spoke to me more than the math did in EE.
1. How difficult is Electrical Engineering actually at university?
-- This will depend on the university you attend. While the concepts taught will be similar the professor's material, experience, and teaching skills will all be factors that could make it difficult or not for you. EE is a lot of math. If you pick up math easily, then EE may come easy. For me, the math was not interesting in the end.
2. Can an average math/science student realistically succeed in EE with enough studying, tutoring, and persistence?
-- I believe this depends on the persons ability to understand new concepts.
3. What are the main career paths and earning potential for Electrical vs. Industrial Engineering in Europe and the US?
-- I graduated in Oregon, and at the time the big recruiter for EE was Intel. Entry positions were fab floor QC/QA. Basically wearing a "bunny suit" on the fab floor walking around with a clip board and filling out spreadsheets. The pay was good for 2002, (~$30k), low stress, but not how I wanted spend my work day.
4. Is choosing EE mainly for its stronger job market and salary potential a reasonable decision if I don’t currently have a strong interest in electricity/electronics?
-- I think only you can answer this. I would listen to your gut. I know that's not very helpful, and I'm sorry. A job and a career is where you will spend the majority of your waking hours. How do you want to feel at the end of the day before you go to bed? How do you need to spend your waking hours so you can achieve that feeling before bed? You may also have extenuating circumstances that will dictate a necessary salary. In which case, I would continue your research into the required investment in education and the potential earnings.
5. If you were in my position, would you choose the field you find more interesting (Industrial Engineering) or the one with potentially stronger technical career opportunities (Electrical Engineering)?
-- If I did it again I would go with the option that's more interesting. You may find that learning comes easier, motivation and focus are readily available. You may see the "work" as fun and enjoyable and looking forward to it. That's what I hope for you in any choice you make. Find something you're excited to do and would do for free.
6. What do you wish you had known before choosing your engineering major?
-- I wish I had explored trades like welding or anything to do with cars. I love working on cars in my spare time.
How will AI affect my future job?
1. How difficult is Electrical Engineering actually at university?
-- This will depend on the university you attend. While the concepts taught will be similar the professor's material, experience, and teaching skills will all be factors that could make it difficult or not for you. EE is a lot of math. If you pick up math easily, then EE may come easy. For me, the math was not interesting in the end.
2. Can an average math/science student realistically succeed in EE with enough studying, tutoring, and persistence?
-- I believe this depends on the persons ability to understand new concepts.
3. What are the main career paths and earning potential for Electrical vs. Industrial Engineering in Europe and the US?
-- I graduated in Oregon, and at the time the big recruiter for EE was Intel. Entry positions were fab floor QC/QA. Basically wearing a "bunny suit" on the fab floor walking around with a clip board and filling out spreadsheets. The pay was good for 2002, (~$30k), low stress, but not how I wanted spend my work day.
4. Is choosing EE mainly for its stronger job market and salary potential a reasonable decision if I don’t currently have a strong interest in electricity/electronics?
-- I think only you can answer this. I would listen to your gut. I know that's not very helpful, and I'm sorry. A job and a career is where you will spend the majority of your waking hours. How do you want to feel at the end of the day before you go to bed? How do you need to spend your waking hours so you can achieve that feeling before bed? You may also have extenuating circumstances that will dictate a necessary salary. In which case, I would continue your research into the required investment in education and the potential earnings.
5. If you were in my position, would you choose the field you find more interesting (Industrial Engineering) or the one with potentially stronger technical career opportunities (Electrical Engineering)?
-- If I did it again I would go with the option that's more interesting. You may find that learning comes easier, motivation and focus are readily available. You may see the "work" as fun and enjoyable and looking forward to it. That's what I hope for you in any choice you make. Find something you're excited to do and would do for free.
6. What do you wish you had known before choosing your engineering major?
-- I wish I had explored trades like welding or anything to do with cars. I love working on cars in my spare time.
Wes recommends the following next steps:
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all of my questions. Your perspective was actually really helpful, especially hearing that you studied EE yourself and later realized that you enjoyed working with people and business more than the math. I think I’m going to keep researching both Electrical and Industrial Engineering before making a decision, but your advice about choosing something that genuinely interests me rather than only looking at earning potential definitely gave me something to think about. I really appreciate your help.
Jazmin
Karla Medrano
Industrial engineering
7
Answers
San Ramon, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica
Updated
Karla’s Answer
EE is generally one of the more mathematically and technically demanding engineering degrees. The important thing is that EE difficulty isn't primarily about memorizing formulas. You need to become comfortable translating a physical problem into mathematics and then solving it. Consistency matters enormously.
Can an average math/science student succeed? Absolutely.
Industrial Engineering, Industrial Engineering is considerably broader than many high-school students realize.
US vs Europe This is where I'd be careful about making decisions based purely on salary. The US generally has a higher ceiling for engineering compensation than most European countries, particularly in technology, semiconductors, aerospace, software and certain specialized engineering fields.
Can an average math/science student succeed? Absolutely.
Industrial Engineering, Industrial Engineering is considerably broader than many high-school students realize.
US vs Europe This is where I'd be careful about making decisions based purely on salary. The US generally has a higher ceiling for engineering compensation than most European countries, particularly in technology, semiconductors, aerospace, software and certain specialized engineering fields.
Luke Haynes
1
Answer
Updated
Luke’s Answer
You already have some great answers here, but I'll throw in my perspective as well (if nothing else just to reinforce what others have said). My degree is in Electrical Engineering and I've been working in that field for the past 8 years or so, but I'm also in the middle of getting my Masters Degree in Industrial Engineering, so I have a little perspective on both fields.
I can start with just sharing my experience.
I'll say that I really enjoyed my EE classes in school. I liked math and physics a lot in high school (which is much of why I chose the degree), and similarly really enjoyed the math classes I took in college and many of what felt like the "practical" Electrical classes as well (such as circuits, power systems, digital systems, programming, etc.). I did find myself getting a little overwhelmed by some of the more abstract topics we were expected to learn as part of the Electrical Engineering curriculum (such as electromagnetism and signal theory), but generally managed to struggle through those classes and then oriented myself towards a career where I didn't have to deal with them much. Being an engineering major is a lot of work, but I don't think it has to be too all encompassing. I don't think I had to spend any more time on academics than my Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, or Aerospace Engineering friends (I'm afraid I didn't know any Industrials), and we all had time for fulfilling relationships, extra curricular, and even some interesting classwork in our minors or double majors (I double majored in theater and had a lot of fun with those classes).
After graduating, most of my work has been in the entertainment industry, designing and maintaining systems for theme parks. Theme Park rides use the same concepts and technologies as industrial manufacturing facilities, so I get a chance to use some of what I learned in school about DC circuits, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), and Motors/Drives. But more than anything, the part of my education that I find I use the most is the problem solving and reasoning skills I cultivated while I was there. From the very beginning, my professors impressed upon me that the most important part of school was learning to "think like an engineer" as we tackle problems and plan our time and resources wisely. For example, I learned 4 different programming languages in school, and haven't used any of them in my work, but when the time came for me to learn the language my company uses, I had plenty of practice in how to learn a new programming language and so it wasn't as much of a hurdle. All of this to say, I think one of the most valuable things about education is that it forces you to do hard things and try to synthesize information even about things that you may not be gifted in or passionate about, but learning how to learn that stuff anyway is one of the best talents you can take away from school (as an aside, this is why it's so important not to lean too heavily on AI tools in your education, because while that can help you complete the assignment and perhaps even gain the required knowledge, it doesn't do as much to build this skill). To that end, I have several friends who graduated with Engineering degrees, who hardly work in their technical field at all. Companies are inclined to hire people they know can "think like an engineer" for a number of technical roles, even if they don't perfectly align with the exact discipline (for example, I have friends and colleges in technical writing, product management, quality assurance, and safety auditing who have engineering degrees, but rarely if ever need to look at any math or circuit diagrams).
While I have really enjoyed my work as an Electrical Engineer, I found myself running into situations where I was expected to find electrical/technical solutions to problems, when I thought there might be more organizational/system level solutions out there, and that's what sparked my interest in Industrial Engineering. I've been taking some of those graduate level classes online while working full time, and I'll say that many of them (but not all of them) are less math intensive and certainly deal with less physics and other sciences. However, I do find there is more project based work, often working with a group to create and/or explore real life examples of the concepts we're learning. I am enjoying the system level perspective the classes bring to problems and do feel like it's done a lot to round out my experience.
That's an overview of my experience. To look at your questions directly:
1. How difficult is Electrical Engineering actually at university?
- --It is certainly difficult and does require a lot of time and focus, but it doesn't have to be overwhelmingly so. It helps to remember that you don't need an A+ in every class, and that learning how to do hard things is part of what you're there to do, if it was easy, it wouldn't help you grow.
2. Can an average math/science student realistically succeed in EE with enough studying, tutoring, and persistence?
---Absolutely. I would argue an average math/science student that utilizes studying, tutoring, and persistence will be BETTER equipped to enter the work force than some savant level genius that just instantly understood everything. The skills of how to study, how to be taught, and how to persevere are the most important lessons University will teach you.
3. What are the main career paths and earning potential for Electrical vs. Industrial Engineering in Europe and the US?
---I can't say I'm an expert in this, but I'll just say that both are broader than I would have expected. I feel like going into Engineering, I assumed all engineers worked on factory floors (mostly in the automotive industry), and while that's certainly plenty of them, it's so much more broad than I expected. My engineering friends from college are now working in all sorts of industries doing all sorts of jobs, some highly technical and others more managerial, all with the same education.
4. Is choosing EE mainly for its stronger job market and salary potential a reasonable decision if I don’t currently have a strong interest in electricity/electronics?
---Reasonable? Sure. I think it is reasonable to get a job that you know brings with it opportunities and security even if it's not your greatest interest. And I do expect there will be jobs you can get with an Electrical Engineering degree that you could find engaging and exciting. However, I would always encourage you to chase problems and solutions that interest you, as that interest and passion and the energy it cultivates will be what interviewers are most looking for.
5. If you were in my position, would you choose the field you find more interesting (Industrial Engineering) or the one with potentially stronger technical career opportunities (Electrical Engineering)?
---I'd say at this point in your journey, you don't necessarily have to choose just one or the other. As you start your college journey, find ways to take classes in both and build try out some of those skills. I'll mention that I faced a similar dilemma as I entered college deciding between theater and engineering, and decided to focus on with the path that had more opportunities (Engineering) and I don't regret that decision, but I continued to find ways to explore and integrate my passion into my work that has made both more fulfilling.
6. What do you wish you had known before choosing your engineering major?
---Honestly, I wish I had known how similar the fields really are. Today I work side by side with Mechanical Engineers and Computer Engineers who do the exact same job that I do, because we all bring slightly different skill sets and knowledge bases to the problems we face, but we are all unified in our ability to problem solve.
Hope this helps. Best of luck on your decision!
I can start with just sharing my experience.
I'll say that I really enjoyed my EE classes in school. I liked math and physics a lot in high school (which is much of why I chose the degree), and similarly really enjoyed the math classes I took in college and many of what felt like the "practical" Electrical classes as well (such as circuits, power systems, digital systems, programming, etc.). I did find myself getting a little overwhelmed by some of the more abstract topics we were expected to learn as part of the Electrical Engineering curriculum (such as electromagnetism and signal theory), but generally managed to struggle through those classes and then oriented myself towards a career where I didn't have to deal with them much. Being an engineering major is a lot of work, but I don't think it has to be too all encompassing. I don't think I had to spend any more time on academics than my Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, or Aerospace Engineering friends (I'm afraid I didn't know any Industrials), and we all had time for fulfilling relationships, extra curricular, and even some interesting classwork in our minors or double majors (I double majored in theater and had a lot of fun with those classes).
After graduating, most of my work has been in the entertainment industry, designing and maintaining systems for theme parks. Theme Park rides use the same concepts and technologies as industrial manufacturing facilities, so I get a chance to use some of what I learned in school about DC circuits, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), and Motors/Drives. But more than anything, the part of my education that I find I use the most is the problem solving and reasoning skills I cultivated while I was there. From the very beginning, my professors impressed upon me that the most important part of school was learning to "think like an engineer" as we tackle problems and plan our time and resources wisely. For example, I learned 4 different programming languages in school, and haven't used any of them in my work, but when the time came for me to learn the language my company uses, I had plenty of practice in how to learn a new programming language and so it wasn't as much of a hurdle. All of this to say, I think one of the most valuable things about education is that it forces you to do hard things and try to synthesize information even about things that you may not be gifted in or passionate about, but learning how to learn that stuff anyway is one of the best talents you can take away from school (as an aside, this is why it's so important not to lean too heavily on AI tools in your education, because while that can help you complete the assignment and perhaps even gain the required knowledge, it doesn't do as much to build this skill). To that end, I have several friends who graduated with Engineering degrees, who hardly work in their technical field at all. Companies are inclined to hire people they know can "think like an engineer" for a number of technical roles, even if they don't perfectly align with the exact discipline (for example, I have friends and colleges in technical writing, product management, quality assurance, and safety auditing who have engineering degrees, but rarely if ever need to look at any math or circuit diagrams).
While I have really enjoyed my work as an Electrical Engineer, I found myself running into situations where I was expected to find electrical/technical solutions to problems, when I thought there might be more organizational/system level solutions out there, and that's what sparked my interest in Industrial Engineering. I've been taking some of those graduate level classes online while working full time, and I'll say that many of them (but not all of them) are less math intensive and certainly deal with less physics and other sciences. However, I do find there is more project based work, often working with a group to create and/or explore real life examples of the concepts we're learning. I am enjoying the system level perspective the classes bring to problems and do feel like it's done a lot to round out my experience.
That's an overview of my experience. To look at your questions directly:
1. How difficult is Electrical Engineering actually at university?
- --It is certainly difficult and does require a lot of time and focus, but it doesn't have to be overwhelmingly so. It helps to remember that you don't need an A+ in every class, and that learning how to do hard things is part of what you're there to do, if it was easy, it wouldn't help you grow.
2. Can an average math/science student realistically succeed in EE with enough studying, tutoring, and persistence?
---Absolutely. I would argue an average math/science student that utilizes studying, tutoring, and persistence will be BETTER equipped to enter the work force than some savant level genius that just instantly understood everything. The skills of how to study, how to be taught, and how to persevere are the most important lessons University will teach you.
3. What are the main career paths and earning potential for Electrical vs. Industrial Engineering in Europe and the US?
---I can't say I'm an expert in this, but I'll just say that both are broader than I would have expected. I feel like going into Engineering, I assumed all engineers worked on factory floors (mostly in the automotive industry), and while that's certainly plenty of them, it's so much more broad than I expected. My engineering friends from college are now working in all sorts of industries doing all sorts of jobs, some highly technical and others more managerial, all with the same education.
4. Is choosing EE mainly for its stronger job market and salary potential a reasonable decision if I don’t currently have a strong interest in electricity/electronics?
---Reasonable? Sure. I think it is reasonable to get a job that you know brings with it opportunities and security even if it's not your greatest interest. And I do expect there will be jobs you can get with an Electrical Engineering degree that you could find engaging and exciting. However, I would always encourage you to chase problems and solutions that interest you, as that interest and passion and the energy it cultivates will be what interviewers are most looking for.
5. If you were in my position, would you choose the field you find more interesting (Industrial Engineering) or the one with potentially stronger technical career opportunities (Electrical Engineering)?
---I'd say at this point in your journey, you don't necessarily have to choose just one or the other. As you start your college journey, find ways to take classes in both and build try out some of those skills. I'll mention that I faced a similar dilemma as I entered college deciding between theater and engineering, and decided to focus on with the path that had more opportunities (Engineering) and I don't regret that decision, but I continued to find ways to explore and integrate my passion into my work that has made both more fulfilling.
6. What do you wish you had known before choosing your engineering major?
---Honestly, I wish I had known how similar the fields really are. Today I work side by side with Mechanical Engineers and Computer Engineers who do the exact same job that I do, because we all bring slightly different skill sets and knowledge bases to the problems we face, but we are all unified in our ability to problem solve.
Hope this helps. Best of luck on your decision!
Robert Rossi
Many things! But mostly chemistry and chemical engineering
96
Answers
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Updated
Robert’s Answer
You have already done the most important thing, and that's knowing what each major is actually about! I started as a chemical engineer because I wanted to "engineer chemicals"...which is not what chemical engineers do. Industrial engineering is another "gotcha" field where the name often doesn't square with what many people think they actually do, but you seem to have a good grip on it, which is key.
I'm chiming in after Wes' superb answer because I too switched fields (from ChE to chemistry to scientific instrument repair/textbook writing) and struggled with finding a way to pursue my passions at work. As a ChE, I took some EE coursework, and will attest that it not only requires solid math skills but the ability to "think in math," especially the abstract stuff like imaginary numbers. Given your self-assessment, I think the question you really should be asking yourself is whether you would be more employable as a top-scoring and excited IE graduate, or as a middling and not-as-excited EE grad. It's certainly true that EEs enjoy better employment opportunities, but be wary of paying too much attention to the averages. Many of the highest-paying and in-demand EE jobs are of the bunny-suit type Wes describes. (In ChE, the really big money was working on an oil platform in the middle of nowhere!)
As a member of an interdisciplinary hybrid electric vehicle team in college, I worked with IEs quite a bit. They were the leaders of our effort (even though we laughingly derided them as glorified managers). How good they were had a big impact on the success of the whole team, and the same is true for companies. They are always looking for *great* IEs, but average and middling IEs, not so much. They won't hire someone for just the degree; they are far more interested in the individual: much more so than with EE hires, where the key is being able to do the calculations correctly.
I would encourage you to pursue IE, but make an effort to stand out. (I don't think that will be a problem, given how well you have thought out and phrased your questions here!) Take part in extracurricular clubs that let you demonstrate your IE chops when in college, vigorously pursue internships, take the time to get to know your professors, and do your very best on coursework, especially the presentations. To get a great IE job, you will need more than just the degree...and even then the job search might take longer. But in the long run you will be much happier doing something you enjoy and are good at!
I'm chiming in after Wes' superb answer because I too switched fields (from ChE to chemistry to scientific instrument repair/textbook writing) and struggled with finding a way to pursue my passions at work. As a ChE, I took some EE coursework, and will attest that it not only requires solid math skills but the ability to "think in math," especially the abstract stuff like imaginary numbers. Given your self-assessment, I think the question you really should be asking yourself is whether you would be more employable as a top-scoring and excited IE graduate, or as a middling and not-as-excited EE grad. It's certainly true that EEs enjoy better employment opportunities, but be wary of paying too much attention to the averages. Many of the highest-paying and in-demand EE jobs are of the bunny-suit type Wes describes. (In ChE, the really big money was working on an oil platform in the middle of nowhere!)
As a member of an interdisciplinary hybrid electric vehicle team in college, I worked with IEs quite a bit. They were the leaders of our effort (even though we laughingly derided them as glorified managers). How good they were had a big impact on the success of the whole team, and the same is true for companies. They are always looking for *great* IEs, but average and middling IEs, not so much. They won't hire someone for just the degree; they are far more interested in the individual: much more so than with EE hires, where the key is being able to do the calculations correctly.
I would encourage you to pursue IE, but make an effort to stand out. (I don't think that will be a problem, given how well you have thought out and phrased your questions here!) Take part in extracurricular clubs that let you demonstrate your IE chops when in college, vigorously pursue internships, take the time to get to know your professors, and do your very best on coursework, especially the presentations. To get a great IE job, you will need more than just the degree...and even then the job search might take longer. But in the long run you will be much happier doing something you enjoy and are good at!
Thank you so much for this answer! Honestly, this helped me a lot, especially the comparison between being a top IE graduate who’s genuinely interested in the field vs. a mediocre EE graduate who chose it mainly for the better job market. That’s exactly the dilemma I’ve been struggling with.
I think I’m leaning more toward IE now, but I really like what you said about needing to stand out.
Jazmin
Srinivas Rao Routhu
Business Consultant
43
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Srinivas Rao’s Answer
Hello Jazmin,
Career paths & earning potential:
Electrical Engineering:
- Paths: power systems, electronics, embedded systems, telecommunications, automation/robotics, renewable energy, semiconductors, control systems.
- US pay: median annual wage around $111,910–$120,630 (2024 data); senior/lead roles can reach $140k–$195k.
- Europe pay: entry‑level roughly €35k–€50k, with strong demand and higher pay in Germany/Scandinavia; specialized roles (high voltage, renewables, automation) can reach €65k–€100k+.
Industrial Engineering:
- Paths: operations research, supply chain, logistics, manufacturing systems, quality, ergonomics, consulting, project management.
- US pay: median annual wage $102,440 (May 2025), solid and competitive with many other engineering fields.
- Europe pay: similar range to other engineering disciplines; industrial/operations roles often sit around €40k–€70k mid‑career, with consulting and tech‑logistics pushing higher.
4. Is choosing EE only for the job market wise?
- It can be a reasonable bet if you’re honest that you’ll need to work harder to build interest and skill — but it’s risky if you have zero curiosity about circuits, systems, or electronics.
- Many EE students who lack intrinsic interest struggle precisely because the field demands sustained, self‑driven problem‑solving.
- A better framing: choose EE if you can see yourself becoming genuinely curious about at least one sub‑area (e.g., power, controls, embedded systems) after exposure — otherwise Industrial Engineering will likely serve you better long‑term.
5. What would I choose in your position?
If I were you, I’d lean Industrial Engineering — here’s why:
- You already name it as the field you’re most interested in, and interest is the single biggest predictor of persistence in a tough degree.
- Industrial Engineering still offers strong job prospects and solid pay (US median ~$102k), and it aligns with your love of optimization, business, and problem‑solving.
- You can still build technical depth (e.g., learn optimization software, data analytics, or supply‑chain modeling) that gives you an edge without forcing yourself through EE’s hardest material.
That said, if a specific EE specialty genuinely excites you (e.g., renewable energy, robotics), then EE could be worth the extra effort — but only if that spark is real.
Career paths & earning potential:
Electrical Engineering:
- Paths: power systems, electronics, embedded systems, telecommunications, automation/robotics, renewable energy, semiconductors, control systems.
- US pay: median annual wage around $111,910–$120,630 (2024 data); senior/lead roles can reach $140k–$195k.
- Europe pay: entry‑level roughly €35k–€50k, with strong demand and higher pay in Germany/Scandinavia; specialized roles (high voltage, renewables, automation) can reach €65k–€100k+.
Industrial Engineering:
- Paths: operations research, supply chain, logistics, manufacturing systems, quality, ergonomics, consulting, project management.
- US pay: median annual wage $102,440 (May 2025), solid and competitive with many other engineering fields.
- Europe pay: similar range to other engineering disciplines; industrial/operations roles often sit around €40k–€70k mid‑career, with consulting and tech‑logistics pushing higher.
4. Is choosing EE only for the job market wise?
- It can be a reasonable bet if you’re honest that you’ll need to work harder to build interest and skill — but it’s risky if you have zero curiosity about circuits, systems, or electronics.
- Many EE students who lack intrinsic interest struggle precisely because the field demands sustained, self‑driven problem‑solving.
- A better framing: choose EE if you can see yourself becoming genuinely curious about at least one sub‑area (e.g., power, controls, embedded systems) after exposure — otherwise Industrial Engineering will likely serve you better long‑term.
5. What would I choose in your position?
If I were you, I’d lean Industrial Engineering — here’s why:
- You already name it as the field you’re most interested in, and interest is the single biggest predictor of persistence in a tough degree.
- Industrial Engineering still offers strong job prospects and solid pay (US median ~$102k), and it aligns with your love of optimization, business, and problem‑solving.
- You can still build technical depth (e.g., learn optimization software, data analytics, or supply‑chain modeling) that gives you an edge without forcing yourself through EE’s hardest material.
That said, if a specific EE specialty genuinely excites you (e.g., renewable energy, robotics), then EE could be worth the extra effort — but only if that spark is real.
Teklemuz Tesfay
Software Engineer and Career Mentor
713
Answers
Ethiopia
Updated
Teklemuz’s Answer
I graduated in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and I believe you shouldn't let the challenges of EE discourage you. If you're an average math or science student, you can succeed with hard work, tutoring, and persistence. I've seen many students graduate despite struggling with math. If you like solving problems and have clear career goals, EE is a great choice.
Considering your interests and the wide range of opportunities, I recommend EE because it offers specializations like power engineering, industrial control, automation, electronics, embedded systems, telecommunications, robotics, semiconductors, electric vehicles, and renewable energy. Industrial control is a well-established area, and you can focus on it later if it interests you. EE and Industrial Engineering overlap in areas like automation, manufacturing systems, and data-driven decision-making, while Industrial Engineering focuses more on operations and business processes.
Before deciding, try to shadow professionals, work on small projects, take introductory courses, talk to professors, and look at real job postings. If EE excites you and you're ready for its technical challenges, I recommend going for it. Look for internships, volunteer work, and projects that match your specialization and career goals. By graduation, you'll have strong knowledge and valuable hands-on experience.
Considering your interests and the wide range of opportunities, I recommend EE because it offers specializations like power engineering, industrial control, automation, electronics, embedded systems, telecommunications, robotics, semiconductors, electric vehicles, and renewable energy. Industrial control is a well-established area, and you can focus on it later if it interests you. EE and Industrial Engineering overlap in areas like automation, manufacturing systems, and data-driven decision-making, while Industrial Engineering focuses more on operations and business processes.
Before deciding, try to shadow professionals, work on small projects, take introductory courses, talk to professors, and look at real job postings. If EE excites you and you're ready for its technical challenges, I recommend going for it. Look for internships, volunteer work, and projects that match your specialization and career goals. By graduation, you'll have strong knowledge and valuable hands-on experience.
Stephen Griffin
Manufacturing Process Engineer
13
Answers
Tucson, Arizona
Updated
Stephen’s Answer
Great questions, and you have a lot of great answers but it seems mostly from people with EE experience so I will add my input as a Mechanical Engineer that now works as a Manufacturing Engineer to just give a different perspective.
1. I don't have experience with this directly.
2. Even though I didn't do EE, I agree with a lot of the other answers that you could absolutely do it, just have to work hard. I was not a strong math student at all in high school and it made engineering school tougher, but it absolutely doable.
3. As others have mentioned, what you major in does not define the career options as much as people usually think when picking a major. However I would say that you shouldn't feel confined to your major and you should let your interests drive what classes you take and what major you end up graduating with, which may not be what you go in with. I majored in mechanical engineering and it's a very broad and flexible major. I took EE classes, coding classes, systems engineering classes, material science classes and of course lots of math and physics. It helped me figure out which of those aspects of engineering was most interesting to me.
4. I think you shouldn't feel so much stress about picking the major and know that you can always change after a semester or year and likely would still be able to graduate in 4 years. I think you should change if you find that you are not interested in what you are learning. I always found that the classes I enjoyed and found interesting were 10 times easier for me to study for and learn. I say all that to say, I would recommend following your interests as it will make everyday easier and more enjoyable and as an engineer you will make enough money with either role.
5. The only change I would have made is finishing up a minor in materials science to open up some additional opportunities but I enjoyed mechanical engineering and I am glad a stuck with it.
6. I wish I knew how flexible the job options can be if you know what you want to do and put effort into learning about that industry or subject. If you do industrial engineering as a major, you could easily become a quality engineer or manufacturing engineer or operations manager, you just have to figure out what you want to do (which isn't always easy) and start learning about it and finding work with some aspects of what you want. Find a role at a small company where engineers wear a lot of hats or tell your manager that you want some exposure to that aspect of the business, good managers will support you in that.
Good luck!
1. I don't have experience with this directly.
2. Even though I didn't do EE, I agree with a lot of the other answers that you could absolutely do it, just have to work hard. I was not a strong math student at all in high school and it made engineering school tougher, but it absolutely doable.
3. As others have mentioned, what you major in does not define the career options as much as people usually think when picking a major. However I would say that you shouldn't feel confined to your major and you should let your interests drive what classes you take and what major you end up graduating with, which may not be what you go in with. I majored in mechanical engineering and it's a very broad and flexible major. I took EE classes, coding classes, systems engineering classes, material science classes and of course lots of math and physics. It helped me figure out which of those aspects of engineering was most interesting to me.
4. I think you shouldn't feel so much stress about picking the major and know that you can always change after a semester or year and likely would still be able to graduate in 4 years. I think you should change if you find that you are not interested in what you are learning. I always found that the classes I enjoyed and found interesting were 10 times easier for me to study for and learn. I say all that to say, I would recommend following your interests as it will make everyday easier and more enjoyable and as an engineer you will make enough money with either role.
5. The only change I would have made is finishing up a minor in materials science to open up some additional opportunities but I enjoyed mechanical engineering and I am glad a stuck with it.
6. I wish I knew how flexible the job options can be if you know what you want to do and put effort into learning about that industry or subject. If you do industrial engineering as a major, you could easily become a quality engineer or manufacturing engineer or operations manager, you just have to figure out what you want to do (which isn't always easy) and start learning about it and finding work with some aspects of what you want. Find a role at a small company where engineers wear a lot of hats or tell your manager that you want some exposure to that aspect of the business, good managers will support you in that.
Good luck!