Changing Field of study
A student wrote to me: “What is the best job in the future for someone who just gets accepted to a U.S. university. When apply, I selected to study Economics, but after reading your blog, I would like to switch to another field that allows me to get a better job with good salary. Is it possible to change the field of study in U.S. school? Please advise.”
Answer: If you want to get the best job in the future, study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). According to a new industry report, over 83% of the jobs in the next fifty years, are in the STEM field. Among the areas in STEM, the best jobs are in the technology area because it is the foundation for all other areas.
Currently, the best jobs in technology are Data Science, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things, and Cybersecurity. The entry level for these four positions starts at $115,000 a year and could go higher depend on skills and experience. Among other technology jobs that also have high demand are Information System Management, Database Administrator, User Interface Designer, DevOps (Network Engineer), and Mobile Software Engineer where the entry positions start at $105,000 a year.
As a student at a U.S. university, you can change your field of study anytime, regardless what you have selected when applying. The best time to switch is in the first year, so I think you will not have any problem. According to the industry trend, future technology students need to specialize in a specific field instead of a “general practitioner” because the technology change fast and company needs people with specific skills, so the demand is high.
An industry analyst wrote: “Whenever there is technology change, the market will need new workers with that technology skills to catch up. Because of this skills shortage, companies are willing to pay more to get people with these skills. Students who know the trend and focus on develop these “hot skills” always get much higher salary and better opportunity than others.” My advice: “Read more about technology news to identify the next trend and adjust your studying accordingly, you will do well.”
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
