Transcript Slide 1
Careers in Science and Engineering
OR
Everything you might never hear about
cool science careers that we want you
to know!
Part I: Science and Alternative Careers
Developed by
Mark Hartman, Emily Dunkel
GK-12 Fellows: Harvard University & Cambridge Public Schools
Sponsored by
National Science Foundation
How much is a “good” salary?
City of Cambridge (2003)
Apartment Size
Typical Monthly Rent
Minimum Household
income required
(assume 30% goes
toward rent)
1 Bedroom
$1400
$56, 000
2 Bedroom
$1725
$69, 000
3 Bedroom
$2300
$92, 000
HUD estimated median income for family of 4:
$80,800
How to think about salary
Some jobs are offered as a salary per year, others as
wages by the hour.
Assuming a 40 hour week, a year is 2000 hours and the
following rates of pay are equivalent:
Yearly salary
$10,300
$20,000
$30,000
$50,000
$80,000
Hourly wage
$5.15 (minimum wage)
$10.00
$15.00
$25.00
$40.00
Higher Degree = More Earnings
Average Yearly Salary / Cost
70,000
60,000
Salary
50,000
40,000
"1 bedrm Apt in
Cambridge"
doctorate
master's
bachelor's
2-yr college
hs diploma
no hs diploma
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
What do you want to be?
Physician?
– Median salary up to $100k/yr ($250k for
surgeons)
– 4 years of university (you pay)
– 4 years of medical school (you pay)
– 4 years of residency (you make about
$40k/year)
– Malpractice insurance anywhere from $50k –
$200k per year
Lawyer?
– Median salary around $80k / year
– 4 years of university (you pay)
– 3 years of Law school (you pay)
– Pass Bar Exam
– High profile lawfirms pay well but require
much more than 40 hours of work per week
for the first 2-3 years
Musician?
– Begin training at early age
– 40% are part-time
– Talent alone is no guarantee of success
– Few benefits (vacation, health insurance)
– Median salary $36,500 (although highest 10%
earn above $96,000)
Professional Athlete?
– Extreme dedication, irregular work hours
– 37% part time, 27% self-employed
– 8 to 10 years of preparation (college, farm
teams, etc.) for a career of only a few years,
due to injury or age
– Median salary: $45,000 (although highest 10%
earn above $145,000)
Science/Engineering?
– Salaries range from $30k – $100k/yr depending on education…
– Training without 4 year college:
Level of
education
Time
commitment
past high
school
Yearly tuition What you get Level of
($1k = $1000) when you
science job
come out
you are
prepared for
High School
--
--
Diploma
Community
college/Tech
School
2 years
$2k – $3k
Associate in
Technician /
Science (A.S.) Data analyst
degree
Military
service
2-3 years
You GET
paid
Technical
Technician/
skills, GI bill to Data analyst
pay for
college if you
want
Basic
technician /
Data entry
Science/Engineering?
– 4 year college/university and beyond:
Level of
education
Time
commitment
Yearly tuition What you get Level of job
when you
you are
come out
prepared for
College /
University
4 years
$5k – $15k
(public)
$20k – $35k
(private)
Bachelor of
Science
(B.S.) degree
Engineer,
Programmer,
Lab
technologist,
grad student
Graduate
School
2 years
beyond
University
You GET
paid
OR
Same as
university
above
Master of
Science
(M.S.) degree
Same as
above, but
with
equivalent of
2-3 years
experience
Graduate
School
5-6 years
beyond
University
You GET
paid
$17k – $30k
Ph.D. (Doctor Professor,
of Philosophy) senior
engineer,
senior
scientist
Overarching Science/Engineering
Skills
Complex problem solving (analyzing):
– Seeing a large problem as made of its essential
parts.
Teamwork:
– Almost no one works on their own in the real
world!
Creativity (synthesizing):
– Bringing together seemingly unrelated pieces of
information and skills to accomplish a new task!
Biology: Life Sciences
Median total cash compensation of some jobs in survey of 12, 600 individuals employed in the life sciences:
Research Vice Presidents/Directors
2 or 4 year degree
$142,000
Research Managers
$139,000
Chief Operating Officers
$129,000
College/University Department Heads
$129,000
"Distinguished" Researchers
$126,000
Professors (12-month appointment)
$118,000
Research Section Heads
$108,387
Government Section Heads
$98,000
Laboratory Directors
$90,000
Research Unit Supervisors
$85,000
Professors (9-10 month appointment)
$85,000
Laboratory Managers
$53,000
Intermediate Researchers
$50,250
Assistant Professors (9-10 month appointment)
$49,713
Secondary School Teachers
$44,200
Post-Doctoral Researchers (12-month
appointment)
$36,366
Laboratory Technicians
$35,000
Intermediate Research Technicians
$33,000
Source: Abbott, Langer & Associates, Compensation of Life Scientists in the United States of America –
2003, published 9/03
Biology: Life Sciences
Zoo Keeper / animal care (HS, 4 year degree)
– Care for lab or exotic animals
Ecologist (4 year degree)
– Analyze human environmental impact
Food Science (4 year degree)
– Study how nutrition is affected by additives,
contaminants
Genomics/Bioinformatics (graduate degree)
– Extract statistical information from genetic material to
develop new therapies, drugs
Chemistry
Chemical Technician (2 year
degree)
– Monitor production
– Salary: $30k – $40k
Chemical Sales (only 60% have
chemistry degree)
– Connect labs with customers
– Speak foreign languages
– Salary: $24k – high $40k
Forensic Chemist (4 year degree)
– Give evidence in court
– Salary: high $30k – $60k
Oil and Petroleum chemist
(graduate degree)
– “Fingerprinting” oil from a spill
– Develop new plastics
– Salary: mid $40k – $60k (BS), mid
$80k – $95k (doctoral)
Physics
Bachelor’s
Degree
Holders
Salary Ranges
Master’s Degree Holders
Ph.D. Holders
Where do Physics B.S. holders go?
Physics
Telescope operator (4 year
degree)
– Perform the art of accurate
observations
Video Game Designer (4
year degree)
– Program realistic 3D motion
String Theorist (graduate
degree)
– Question the beginning of
the universe/nature of reality
– Probe smallest and largest
scales of the universe
Mathematics
Statistician, IRS (2/4 year degree)
– Analyze spending and identify patterns
Actuary (4 year degree)
– Calculate odds of accidents, death
– Salary: $37k with Bachelor’s
Computer encryption (graduate degree)
– Develop algorithms to protect data
transmission
Gambling (for the Casino!) (4 year
degree)
– Calculate odds and advise owners on
payouts
Cross-Disciplinary:
Government/Policy
Bioethics advisor (Ph.D)
– Should we do cloning?
NSF grant administrator (B.S. –
Ph.D.)
– Help determine who’s science
gets your tax money
Genetic counseling (B.S. –
M.S.)
– Explaining options to parents-tobe
Congressional science advisor /
lobbyist (B.S.)
– Nuclear waste, alternative energy
Media / Arts
Science Journalist (B.S.)
– Convey difficult topics to the
public
Playwright (B.S. or “Life
experience”!)
– “Copenhagen”: Best Play Tony
Award 2000
Science museum staff / director
(High School, B.S.)
– Develop engaging
programs/exhibits
Technology artist (High School,
B.S.)
– Andrea Polli:
Atmospherics/Weather Works
Historian of science (B.S. –
Ph.D.)
– Letter from Einstein to
Roosevelt
Business / Law
Wall Street Analyst (M.S. – Ph.D.)
– Apply complex mathematical modeling
– Predict behaviour of stock market
Intellectual property / Patent law (J.D.—law
degree)
– guarding rights to original ideas
Degree Statistics
High School
Diploma (or more)
Some college (or
more)
Bachelor’s
Degree (or more)
All
90.2
58.0
30.5
Professional/speci
alty
99.2
93.4
76.7
Technician and
support
98.8
78.5
30.4
Administrative
support:
secretaries/office
workers
96.3
55.2
15.6
Profession
Source: US Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, March 1999
• Only about 25% of the US population has a bachelor’s
degree! (34% in Massachusetts)
• Although science jobs can be found at all levels, a B.S.
degree gets you more opportunities and higher pay!
If you forget everything else,
remember this!
The skills you develop in science classes are
VERY widely applicable and valuable.
Satisfying, well-paying jobs in science and
engineering are available at ALL levels of
education.
Attempting higher degrees opens many more
doors for interesting jobs and higher pay.
If you don’t do it, who will be the engineers and
scientists in the future?