Most people know when it comes to computers that hardware is the actual physical machine and software is the programming that makes a computer run. This is why a computer software engineer (usually called computer engineers) end up working on anything that has a microchip in it. This means anything as small as a smart phone to as big as the NASA space station.
Of all the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) professions, one of the fastest growing, as well as the most exciting, is computer software engineering. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2008, there were over 900,000 computer engineers in the U.S. That the occupation is projected to expand by 21% by 2018 should not come as a surprise to anyone who has been reading the news lately.
One of the things someone entering the field should note is it’s still a relatively new profession. This means there is still a lot of confusion about job titles. A the core, a computer engineer is not a computer scientist, who concentrates on the more theoretical side, nor a systems analyst, who use existing applications or creates new computer apps on existing hardware.
Computer engineers divide into two categories: applications engineers and systems engineers. Applications engineers analyze users’ needs, construct and maintain general software applications and programs. Systems engineers coordinate the construction, maintenance, and expansion of computer systems. The latter also design and implement system security, internet/intranet and data assurance.
The Bureau projects the future of the software engineer to be quite bright. Employers prefer applicants who have at least a bachelor’s degree and broad knowledge of a variety of computer systems and technologies. Applications specialists’ majors are computer science, software engineering or mathematics. Systems software engineers often study computer science or computer information systems. Postgraduate degrees are preferred for more complex jobs.
Compensation is well above the national norm. Entry level jobs usually have base salaries of a little over $50,000. The average computer engineer should expect a salary of just under $72,000. Top professionals can earn over $135,000. Along with the salaries come some very nice benefits, including health and life policies, profit sharing, other investment and retirement programs, continued education financial aid and other deals.
Because of the extreme need for more computer engineers, a lot of financial aid is also available, from the gifted young high school grad to the experienced engineer looking to stay up-to-date or get his/her Ph.D. This goes well beyond the standard Pell and state grants into such things as the National Science Foundation’s S-STEM scholarship. The occupation’s main certification program, the American Board for Engineering and Technology, also has a handy guide for assistance, as are many, many commercial entities such as Microsoft, Intel and others.
In other words, you don’t have to be a kid with a closet full of energy drinks to know the future of computer engineers looks quite bright for some time to come. A wise choice for those interested in this field is to achieve your science degrees online. There’s an incredible need for more of them, and a career path in this profession is one with what looks like a great future. Your next employer will be may find someone with their associate of science degree a perfect fit. If you think you may be interested in getting into this field and would like to find more information about your STEM degree, check the internet.