Computer Science or Computer Engineering, what is the best option?

Let’s first define both: computer science (CS) is the study of the principles and use of computers, and computer engineering (CE) is the study of the applications of the principles in the real world.

What differs Computer Science from Computer Engineering

Roughly saying, the computer scientist is the one who comes out with the algorithms from scratch and the engineer uses them to solve specific problems. Roughly again, CS is about art, development, and study of methods concerning algorithms and computing, while CE is about solving problems concerning computers, while you focus on the computer’s foundations and Software in CS, and in CE you focus on both principles and Hardware. The greatest difference is that you only study Hardware in depth in CE. That’s it.

How to know which is the best fit for you

Both are though! As a CE student who often visits the CS classes, I see that some maths we study in CE are useless, so you don’t need to worry about maths, you won’t need to be a math genius to become a Computer Engineer, but a person with tons of background in complex solving problems and circuits, and to become a great computer scientist, you better be the one who loves to see beyond boundaries, a creative person and great thinker.

Career opportunities in computer science or computer engineering

Microsoft and Intel are both big tech companies, and no matter if you choose CS or CE, you can work in one of the companies, but computer engineers are more likely to work at Intel, why? Computer engineers design, build and test computer components, such as processors, memory systems, network infrastructure, and more. They are also concerned with the integration of computer systems into various devices and systems, such as medical equipment and mobile phones. On other hand, CS are more likely to work on Microsoft because Microsoft focuses on the study of computers and computational systems. They design and develop software systems, algorithms, and data structures, and often work on creating new technology or improving existing technology, proof is that it’s one of the best researchers in AI.

I just gave the examples above, but the path of a tech guy has no boundaries because you can code to solve problems in every single field.

How much do computer scientists or computer engineers earn?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for tech occupations is around $88,240. That is just a median value, if you do some research you’ll find that there are many high payments for technology services, for example, the salary of a Data Scientist, a professional in Data Science, a CS subcategory, is around $140, 457 annually. That’s just the beginning, if you are trying to invest a career in tech, just know that you’ll become smarter and well-paid for having fun. Every CS or CE life starts with a code . Cheer.