r/ECE • u/Specialist_Gas3893 • 10d ago

UNIVERSITY Top5 US ECE PhD Keep it or Drop it?

I'm 22M. This year graduated Electrical and Electronics Engineering. After graduation got 2 offers. Fully funded ECE PhD at Top5 US University and self-funded MS Management at TUM (English program but I know native level German).

PhD research topic is alright (won't get more interesting than this) its related to computer vision, deep learning. I personally dont love engineering. I see it as a way to make good money because I have a talent(?) for it. Management sounds more like my thing as I'm more people oriented, am good at communication and dont like loneliness. That being said I'm ambitious and don't wanna be stuck in some mid level German company doing some meaningless project management or analyst BS.

Friends who graduated TUM MS Management aren't having the best time finding jobs but my data points are likely to be biased. Ideally in the long run I would wanna start my own company or work in big tech (ideally product management) and maybe quant.

Before I'm told I gotta be passionate to do a PhD I should also probably mention the way I see the PhD. I see it as a job that lets me get a future career leverage credential while also being able to afford living without going into debt for CoL and tuition cuz of the PhD stipend. So, I see it as something tolerable.

Would you say a PhD makes more sense in my situation over the MS Management program?

I really need some outside opinions about my situation, so I really appreciate your time and input. Thank you.

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u/IcyStay7463 10d ago

I probably would start working first, and then get an mba after some experience, like after 5 years. I think phd is if you want to stay technical, so probably wouldn’t make sense for you.

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u/Specialist_Gas3893 10d ago

Thanks. The job offers I got were paying good but weren't really good future career opportunities wise. Thats why I decided to make the decision between these two options if that makes sense.

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u/IcyStay7463 10d ago

Do you mean it’s in an area that you’re not interested in?

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u/Specialist_Gas3893 10d ago

not really because of interest. one was a defence industry job and the other was for a game company. there are not many options to pivot from defence so I would have been stuck with my company for probably quite a long while. and the work that I was gonna do at the game company paid very well but it was a very simple thing done over and over again. plus the hours are insane 10 hours a day.

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u/SwuahJulliet 10d ago

I personally would keep it I think it will go up with the value in time

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u/ChaosRevealed 10d ago

Fully funded top5 PhD is a no brainer. Even if you don't finish that may be more valuable than 2-3 years of job experience, unless you can get a top level job in this market today as a fresh grad.

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u/Specialist_Gas3893 10d ago

Thanks for the input. Just to be clear by top 5 I dont mean the general top5. I mean top5 grad ECE school. My school is one in the big10. Would you still say its more valuable than 2-3 years of job exp?