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I speak from a STEM background, Mech/Aero specifically. 90% of the PhDs in my department (at a large research university) do not go into academia and do not wan

by elteto 13y ago

I speak from a STEM background, Mech/Aero specifically. 90% of the PhDs in my department (at a large research university) do not go into academia and do not want to, but find very high paying jobs in industry, doing the kind of things that only people with their training can do. It sounds like your PhD or post-PhD experience wasn't that good, but is pretty much anecdote and you really can't extrapolate to everything because you didn't get a PhD in every degree. And btw, most of the research done in my field is not theoretical at all, but very advanced novel applications, I have never seen anyone shying away from any real work because they "hate anything practical".

graycat 13y ago
> I have never seen anyone shying away from any real work because they "hate anything practical". I've never shied away from things that are practical. My Ph.D. is essentially in some applied math, that is, for me, the practical and money making kind. But what you mention is a common remark on Ph.D. degree holders and sometimes true.
- elteto 13y ago
  That is the essence of the contrasting experiences: we study in very different fields with job markets that are nothing alike. It is definitely much harder to get a job as an applied math PhD.