Computer Science Vs Medicine, which makes more?

[Passionandcare]

So I was having this debate with my friend, and he was trying to argue that with a Ph.d in computer science he will make more than an MD. I find that highly unlikely since it is not easy to break six figures in most software positions. What do you guys think?

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[Double Trouble]

So I was having this debate with my friend, and he was trying to argue that with a Ph.d in computer science he will make more than an MD. I find that highly unlikely since it is not easy to break six figures in most software positions. What do you guys think?

In the long run, the average doctor will earn more than the average programmer.

Just google salaries of physicians vs. salaries of programmers

Edit.... idk why the font is messed up

 

[CeeEstee0]

I have no earthly what a Ph.D in Computer Science would earn, (unless you are teaching I really don't see much use for the Ph.D in that field), But an average Family Medicine Doctor makes 170k. Primary Care is widely considered least of all the specialties in terms of lucrativeness, with the exception of private practice. Not sure if lucrativeness is a word. Lucrivity? lol.

 

[ljpm8224]

So I was having this debate with my friend, and he was trying to argue that with a Ph.d in computer science he will make more than an MD. I find that highly unlikely since it is not easy to break six figures in most software positions. What do you guys think?

a PhD at the "chief scientist" or CTO level at most tech companies in Silicon Valley run around the 250k range. but that's someone with experience and an impressive resume.

my tech buddies here who don't have masters degrees or PhDs pull about 150k... but I would say most entry level software positions out here at above 100k, at least 80 or 90k to start. Then again in SF that is barely above poverty level

Also for tech firm CS types, don't forget options packages, which can bring in a nice lump sum even after tax if your company gets bought or IPOs...

 

[MT Headed]

Just look at the total compensation package for google physicians vs google programmers, lol. Computer science wins by a shot so long that the physicians are closer to the janitors.

 

[2ndCareerMD]

This probably won't provide a satisfactory answer, but contact the career office of the college which holds CS. They should have average alumni salaries.

 

[MT Headed]

The total compensation package for programmers contains only a miniscule, irrelevant salary component. They create wealth without income, and at a more favorable tax bracket to boot.

 

[flatearth22]

Programmers definitely have a higher ceiling....and lower basement. Physicians have more consistent salaries and a much more stable career which can't be overlooked in today's economy

 

[pkwraith]

I wouldn't say it's hard to break 6 figures for a computer programmer. At my company, I'd say programmers would make ~100,000 at least after five years. Most of them don't have PHDs.

But, as just a computer programmer, you won't be making more than a physician. Moving onto consulting, management, or equity afterward is really where the salary can start approaching physician range.

 

[plumhill]

It depends on what you want to do with your career in either field. Both professions are financially stable and in relatively higher demand than many others, so money shouldn't be your motivating factor (well it shouldn't ever be your motivating factor). So go with what makes you happy

 

[bigloley]

PhD takes about the same time as medical school and most of residency so earning is pretty much the same from then on.

Regular cs fields with good recruitment etc. make about 80k+ out of undergrad. With appropriate compensation packages and added years of earning potential, they probably make the same level of doctors for a while

 

[MT Headed]

Focusing on salary is missing the point completely, though it is typical of what I call the physician economic mindset. Programmers at joints like intel, microsoft, apple, amazon, expedia, google, facebook (hmm, coincidentally the same places that are/were hiring, nay desperate for, qualified programmers) when they are in a growth phase pay their programmers in ownership of the means of production, not salary. Work five years at a growing company and your net worth will jump up or down (and generally up) by a physician's annual salary, daily.

Physicians are so blindly focused on the almightly annual salary and that W-2 Wage Income line on their 1040 that they have utterly no clue what the path is to creating wealth or genuine financial independence.

 

[canadian18]

I find that highly unlikely since it is not easy to break six figures in most software positions. What do you guys think?

I disagree. It's fairly easy to break six figures with just a bachelor's in computer science. Software engineers are in high demand these days with short supply. 80k+ right after graduation is quite doable. With each year of experience you can easily break 100k at mid-size companies.

You also have the option of starting your own company if you have a solid idea and get big $$ real fast.

IMO medicine and comp sci are two fields that cannot be compared on salary alone.

 

[Stumpyman]

Doctor's have job security, which a lot of software engineers/programmers/comp. scientists don't have. And doctor's salaries are generally consistent, meaning they're not going to drastically go down the next year, or rapidly go up the next. Soft. engineers, comp. scientists, etc. have the potential to make serious cash, but that doesn't mean they absolutely will.

 

[Double Trouble]

Doctor's have job security, which a lot of software engineers/programmers/comp. scientists don't have. And doctor's salaries are generally consistent, meaning they're not going to drastically go down the next year, or rapidly go up the next. Soft. engineers, comp. scientists, etc. have the potential to make serious cash, but that doesn't mean they absolutely will.

what are you basing this on

 

[Stumpyman]

what are you basing this on

Previous years of medical job stats (go ahead, look 'em up). And the way the technical industry drastically fluctuates with every recession (yes I know medicine does to, but you don't see many/any doctors unemployed and at home).

My own dad made it somewhat big as a software engineer, but he always advised me not to go into the field, as he just as easily could've been broke right now.

 

[Starlightembers]

what are you basing this on

A close, family friend of mine is currently unemployed and was a computer science major. He did not lose his job due to lack of ability or problem on his part; his job simply got outsourced. Thankfully, it looks like he is about to become employed once more; however, the last couple years of living off of savings have been less than ideal.

Of course, to balance that, it is worth noting that he accumulated enough savings TO live off savings fairly comfortably. And, in the bigger picture, once everything is totaled in (ex, time spent in school), I would not be surprised if Computer Science does out-earn medicine.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=12179330#

 

[Stumpyman]

A close, family friend of mine is currently unemployed and was a computer science major. He did not lose his job due to lack of ability or problem on his part; his job simply got outsourced. Thankfully, it looks like he is about to become employed once more; however, the last couple years of living off of savings have been less than ideal.

Of course, to balance that, it is worth noting that he accumulated enough savings TO live off savings fairly comfortably. And, in the bigger picture, once everything is totaled in (ex, time spent in school), I would not be surprised if Computer Science does out-earn medicine.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=12179330#

Exactly. There were times when my dad made 6 figures, and then was unemployed for 3-5 years. That's the industry.

And it's not just these small anecdotes, it's like this for most people.

 

[CopaceticOne]

Focusing on salary is missing the point completely, though it is typical of what I call the physician economic mindset. Programmers at joints like intel, microsoft, apple, amazon, expedia, google, facebook (hmm, coincidentally the same places that are/were hiring, nay desperate for, qualified programmers) when they are in a growth phase pay their programmers in ownership of the means of production, not salary. Work five years at a growing company and your net worth will jump up or down (and generally up) by a physician's annual salary, daily.

Physicians are so blindly focused on the almightly annual salary and that W-2 Wage Income line on their 1040 that they have utterly no clue what the path is to creating wealth or genuine financial independence.

This times 100.

Another thing to note is that there is absolutely NO need to get a PhD for Comp Sci. That's the great thing, if someone is talented and has the skills they will always have a job. The caveat is that they would need to be very flexible to working in different locations.

 

[IMSingular]

Any engineer has a potential to make much more than a physician. But he needs to invent, get venture capital to support, market his invention. Essentially should have aptitude for enterpreunership. If I take my garduating class couple of them have so much that average over all the garduating class will be 10s of million. But you are not likely to get there by just working for some one else. Guys who invented FFT could have made billions, though I don't think they actually did; they were just interested in inventing rather than other aspect.

 

[45408]

I disagree. It's fairly easy to break six figures with just a bachelor's in computer science. Software engineers are in high demand these days with short supply. 80k+ right after graduation is quite doable. With each year of experience you can easily break 100k at mid-size companies.

You also have the option of starting your own company if you have a solid idea and get big $$ real fast.

There's a lot of imaginative thinking in this post.

 

[myhandsarecold]

Programmer will make more

 

[Megatron2016]

oops...misread the prompt [deleted]

 

[tantacles]

There's a lot of imaginative thinking in this post.

 

[dmf2682]

The only thing a phd in computer science will get you is BO and lifelong loneliness.

 

[tantacles]

The only thing a phd in computer science will get you is BO and lifelong loneliness.

Do you know any of these people? Can you introduce me to them? I want to help them be less lonely. I have a proposition they won't refuse.

 

[equinsu ocha]

The typical physician makes more than the typical computer scientist, PhD or not. To make hypothetical comments beyond this is pointless.

 

[tantacles]

The typical physician makes more than the typical computer scientist, PhD or not. To make hypothetical comments beyond this is pointless.

So there are no other hypothetical comments you wish to make? I think we could use some.

 

[equinsu ocha]

So there are no other hypothetical comments you wish to make? I think we could use some.

huh?

 

[tantacles]

huh?

for example, hypothetically, if you were a computer scientist and Jessica Biel was all, "Heyyyyyyyy," but she wouldn't like you if you were a doctor, would you still go into medicine? Hypothetically.

 

[SpecterGT260]

So I was having this debate with my friend, and he was trying to argue that with a Ph.d in computer science he will make more than an MD. I find that highly unlikely since it is not easy to break six figures in most software positions. What do you guys think?

PhD in comp sci isn't terribly useful. Same reason you dont see a ton of PhD engineers. Functionally they serve no greater purpose than a masters unless you want to teach. Why pay a phd to program something a bs or ms could do for less? The software co I used to intern at has no phds and id be interested to know what national graduation class sizes are

 

[equinsu ocha]

for example, hypothetically, if you were a computer scientist and Jessica Biel was all, "Heyyyyyyyy," but she wouldn't like you if you were a doctor, would you still go into medicine? Hypothetically.

cool dude

 

[tantacles]

cool dude

That doesn't answer the [very important] question. Also, what if it were Shaqira instead of Jessica Biel?

 

[dmf2682]

PhD in comp sci isn't terribly useful. Same reason you dont see a ton of PhD engineers. Functionally they serve no greater purpose than a masters unless you want to teach. Why pay a phd to program something a bs or ms could do for less? The software co I used to intern at has no phds and id be interested to know what national graduation class sizes are

Not 100% accurate. It depends on the job really. I do a lot of aero design and maybe half of my coworkers have phd's. Quite simply put, if your job needs a lot of training for.. you're going to need that doctorate.

 

[equinsu ocha]

That doesn't answer the [very important] question. Also, what if it were Shaqira instead of Jessica Biel?

No offense, but based on your MDapps you may want to spend less time trolling people on SDN and more time working on your credentials.

 

[tantacles]

No offense, but based on your MDapps you may want to spend less time trolling people on SDN and more time working on your credentials.

 

[SpecterGT260]

Not 100% accurate. It depends on the job really. I do a lot of aero design and maybe half of my coworkers have phd's. Quite simply put, if your job needs a lot of training for.. you're going to need that doctorate.

I guess I wasnt considering that. My experience is in software/firmware applications development. Things with business solutions, defense contracts, private contracts... ect... how many of your co workers are PhD in computer science?

 

[dmf2682]

I guess I wasnt considering that. My experience is in software/firmware applications development. Things with business solutions, defense contracts, private contracts... ect... how many of your co workers are PhD in computer science?

My company has a group that works on developing cfd code as well as other in house tools. I believe they have two or three cs phds but the vast majority of our doctorates are in flavors of engineering.

 

[canadian18]

There's a lot of imaginative thinking in this post.

?

My brother's a software engineer.

 

[equinsu ocha]

I disagree. It's fairly easy to break six figures with just a bachelor's in computer science. Software engineers are in high demand these days with short supply. 80k+ right after graduation is quite doable. With each year of experience you can easily break 100k at mid-size companies.

You also have the option of starting your own company if you have a solid idea and get big $$ real fast.

IMO medicine and comp sci are two fields that cannot be compared on salary alone.

?

My brother's a software engineer.

So? You can't come to this conclusion based on your n=1.

 

[IMSingular]

Biomedical Engineers may have great potential for financial gain if they can invent a device, find a venture capitalist to support them, do the marketing and capture significant market share before the patent expires or a some one re-engineers another device to do similar product.

Personally I wouldn't quit Biomedical Engineering to go for MD with a sole purpose of financial benifit. I think there are graet opportunities in Biomedical Engineering if you have aptitude for inventing and engineering.

 

[Stumpyman]

?

My brother's a software engineer.

Oh, so I guess he represents the thousands of other engineers, right?

 

[canadian18]

Oh, so I guess he represents the thousands of other engineers, right?

Heh, guess not. I guess he's just doing really well for himself which is great to hear.

OP, take my anecdotal evidence with a bucketful of salt

 

[Stumpyman]

Heh, guess not. I guess he's just doing really well for himself which is great to hear.

OP, take my anecdotal evidence with a bucketful of salt

Yeah I understand what you mean. My dad also did pretty well (albeit, it was a long and tough road, with unemployments left and right) as a software engineer, but so many others that we know personally didn't. Unfortunately, that's the way the technical industry has been for the past 15+ years-- extremely unpredictable and unreliable.

 

[circulus vitios]

For conventional software engineering/programming jobs, no one is going to care that he has a hypothetical PhD in computer science because his research will be so specialized and obscure that it most likely be inapplicable to real wold programming.

edit: This applies to "every day" programming. He could get a job doing bleeding edge stuff on Wall Street or something. First year quants on Wall Street make about $150k/year after bonuses. I don't see entry level pay being much higher outside of Wall Street.

 

[Livingadream91]

So I was having this debate with my friend, and he was trying to argue that with a Ph.d in computer science he will make more than an MD. I find that highly unlikely since it is not easy to break six figures in most software positions. What do you guys think?

Honestly, your friend could make more with just a B.S. in Computer Science. I have an aunt who makes 150k + 50k bonuses as an Information Project Manager - NO DEBT! she goes on a few trips throughout the year; its crazy, but seriously, he has a good chance of making more...pretty depressing being that we will be in school for another few years and in massive debt just to save a life...but to me, ITS WORTH IT.

 

[Joe the Plumber]

"Yes" they do. Please, by all means, don't apply to medical schoools. More room for the rest of us.

 

[Livingadream91]

So I was having this debate with my friend, and he was trying to argue that with a Ph.d in computer science he will make more than an MD. I find that highly unlikely since it is not easy to break six figures in most software positions. What do you guys think?

And she lives in Washington DC, which she said you must live in to break into a 6 figure salary!

 

[sooprnova]

This whole thread is annoying.

People with PhD's in CS don't become programmers.

 

[samirmehta91]

medicine is a longer path with a higher payout, but it all depends on various factors. If you're a programmer who is on the cutting edge of the next "twitter" or software than you'll be making a lot of money. In the same sense, if you're a doctor who is well known in research or private practice you will make a lot of money, medicine has more job security and on this forum you will find primarily answers that tend to be bias towards medicine.