Anonymous wrote:This is the part of the STEM frenzy that no one ever explains to striving parents and kids. The S science part of stem pays crap, unless your kid gets into medical school. And the quality of life for most of the jobs is pretty miserable too.

This is what I haven’t told my kid who is OK in math and physics, not so great in chem where there’d be more jobs. Likes bio, but does not realize there’s probably not much of a job market for him with just a BS in bio. Who knows where he’ll wind up.

This is the part of the STEM frenzy that no one ever explains to striving parents and kids. The S science part of stem pays crap, unless your kid gets into medical school. And the quality of life for most of the jobs is pretty miserable too.

Environmental engineering (or other engineering fields). Engineering is about problem solving. With climate change issues arising all over, there will be needs for people to redesign human built systems to adapt to the changes and also needs for helping rebuild ecosystems. Lots of opportunity for being out of the office and working on ever-changing projects.
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/environmental-engineers.htm

More generally, I like the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics Occupational handbook. It is a great way to get an overview of careers you didn't know existed, as well as seeing what fields are growing and shrinking in different states.
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm

My kid who likes science is taking pre-med courses. He likes the mix of physics, chemistry, bio etc. Not sure at this point if medical school is where he is headed. He did intern in a physical therapy office and loved it.

Field Geology?

Intel---US military. It is for the smart kids but also has a level of being outside.

Idea for major =\= idea for career.

Water chemist?
Toxicologist?
Regulatory affairs, compliance & risk?
Chemical sales?

DC hated first internship in a (wet) lab. Problem was that DC was not into benchwork. But not all bio research involves that. Has loved other labs (ecological and evolutionary bio fieldwork; quantitative bio). Applying to PhD programs in those fields now. Wants to set own research agenda (which will require a PhD) but can imagine doing that in non-profit or govt as well as academia.

Park service or forestry cane to mind. Teaching in high school.

This is a great question for them to explore with the career center at their college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is your DC in math?

Cyber Security. This career pay A LOT more than bio, chem, en. careers that you mentioned. It should not take any longer than a few months to ramp up cybersecurity and get AWS certifications. That will be his meal ticket to a well paying career. My own DS graduated with a biology degree and made peanuts working in the lab. He read up cyber serucity and got AWS certifications after six months. He is currently making about 250k/yr with security clearance as gov. contractor.

Office job though

Anonymous wrote:How is your DC in math?

Cyber Security. This career pay A LOT more than bio, chem, en. careers that you mentioned. It should not take any longer than a few months to ramp up cybersecurity and get AWS certifications. That will be his meal ticket to a well paying career. My own DS graduated with a biology degree and made peanuts working in the lab. He read up cyber serucity and got AWS certifications after six months. He is currently making about 250k/yr with security clearance as gov. contractor.

Lab manager
Editor for science journals
Science policy (government, contractor, NGO)
Exhibit curator at a science museum
Science teacher

Some of these will require a masters in an adjacent field or other certification. My undergrad is in chemistry and I have friends with science degrees (everything from BS to PhD) who do all of the above jobs because they didn’t want research careers. I’m one of the policy people-I do environmental/energy policy now.

How is your DC in math?

... but hated his internship in a research lab. Also has reservations about office jobs in general. My guess is that alternatives would probably have a gazillion applicants for each spot, and/or pay poorly, but if anyone has insight into these fields, please share. I know almost nothing about science fields, so I am having trouble providing useful guidance.