Computer engineers are the builders of the technology sector. From software designs to building computers and computer-based systems, there are endless opportunities for employment. Nearly every industry has a need for a computer engineer, including high-paying industries like the aerospace and auto industries. It’s a great time to take a job in the computer science field because you’re almost guaranteed job security as technology is always advancing and engineering thought leaders are in-demand. If you’re considering a career change, this is a field that has the potential to keep you employed until retirement.

The Skills a Computer Engineer Should Have

All engineers should be skilled in science and math, and computer engineers should have at least a basic understanding of operating systems before beginning their education. Once fully educated, a computer engineer will have hardware and software skills, as well as comfort working on teams and communicating their ideas.

Unfortunately, due to the changing nature of technology, not everything can be taught in school. Computer engineers will need to remain competitive by learning new skills as they develop their careers. For example, virtualization is among the fastest growing trends for web and storage servers. If you graduated from college 10 years ago, you may not have learned enough about virtualization to offer it as a fast and safe option for your business. In this case, you can still provide this as a service to your company by learning what you need to online, and then offering to outsource the service through another, such as VMWare Raid Data Recovery.

Job Opportunities for Computer Engineers

Do you picture yourself in Silicon Valley working for the industry’s leading computer companies? Working for Google, Intel, HP, and others is a very real possibility if you’re a computer engineer, but not all opportunities are so far from home. Every location around the world has jobs for computer engineers, including jobs for computer engineers who are looking for work as programmers.

Although systems analysts and systems engineers make the most money, there are more than fifty high-paying jobs in the computer engineering sector. Software systems engineers develop and upgrade computer systems, as well as develop and test software for said technologies. Solutions architects also make a great deal of money; they’re responsible for conducting flow analysis among other duties. And, as the name suggests, network security administrators are responsible for creating a network security plan that protects the business from hackers and other security threats. These are just a sampling of the career paths available to computer engineers.

For computer engineers, there’s a lot of variation in what you can earn. It all depends on where your specialties lie and what sort of work you’re most comfortable doing. For example, a mobile app developer has an average salary of $95,000, but a 3D animator or graphic designer only averages between $44,000 and $60,000 per year. Ultimately, the career path you choose should factor in both your average yearly earnings and your job satisfaction; for example, you may make more as an app developer, but a job in 3D animation may make you happier, which means long-term potential.

Computer science grads are in demand, according to Saint Louis University. “Computer science graduates are some of the most sought-after graduates and earn among the highest salaries right out of college.” Simply put: if you’re thinking about doing anything remotely related to computers in college, this is a major that has major potential for ensuring long-term job security and high earnings. It’s a field that’s valued and will be valued for as long as technology grows, which is essentially forever.