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I have seen this argument a lot, and it doesn't hold water. Those STEM majors leaving the field often get salaries higher than people who majored in that field

I have seen this argument a lot, and it doesn't hold water. Those STEM majors leaving the field often get salaries higher than people who majored in that field going into it. It seems that these employers value the STEM education moreso than people who major in the same field. Second, it is entirely possible that these STEM majors voluntarily left the STEM field. More people are doing STEM but that doesn't mean more people are passionate about STEM. Engineering isn't for everyone, and I myself have thought about leaving the field and going elsewhere not because I can't find a job but because I want to.

eutectic 12y ago
The burden of proof is on the pro-STEMmers to show that we really do need a bunch more STEM majors, not on the rest of us to prove we don't. Edit: and are you sure that your higher-wages claim (source?) is not just evidence that STEM majors act as an effective filter for the smart and driven.
- _gotmilk 12y ago
  I originally read: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-rosen/the-truth-hurts-the-stem-_b_3900575.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-rosen/the-truth-hurts-th... Quote: "People in STEM jobs benefit from being in such high demand. Study[1] after study[2] confirms that STEM professionals get paid more than non-STEM professionals -- often much more -- even when you control for their education and other factors. Contrary to Charette's claim that STEM wages have stagnated, reports from Georgetown, the Commerce Department[3], and the Information Technology Innovation Foundation[4] show that they have risen faster than non-STEM wages, even in recent years. That is a sign that employers are feeling the pinch." The Studies linked: [1] http://www.esa.doc.gov/Reports/stem-good-jobs-now-and-future http://www.esa.doc.gov/Reports/stem-good-jobs-now-and-future [2] https://cew.georgetown.edu/report/stem/ https://cew.georgetown.edu/report/stem/ [3]http://www.esa.doc.gov/Reports/stem-good-jobs-now-and-future http://www.esa.doc.gov/Reports/stem-good-jobs-now-and-future [4] http://www.itif.org/publications/real-story-guestworkers-high-skill-us-labor-market http://www.itif.org/publications/real-story-guestworkers-hig...

eutectic 12y ago

The burden of proof is on the pro-STEMmers to show that we really do need a bunch more STEM majors, not on the rest of us to prove we don't. Edit: and are you sure that your higher-wages claim (source?) is not just evidence that STEM majors act as an effective filter for the smart and driven.

_gotmilk 12y ago
I originally read: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-rosen/the-truth-hurts-the-stem-_b_3900575.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-rosen/the-truth-hurts-th... Quote: "People in STEM jobs benefit from being in such high demand. Study[1] after study[2] confirms that STEM professionals get paid more than non-STEM professionals -- often much more -- even when you control for their education and other factors. Contrary to Charette's claim that STEM wages have stagnated, reports from Georgetown, the Commerce Department[3], and the Information Technology Innovation Foundation[4] show that they have risen faster than non-STEM wages, even in recent years. That is a sign that employers are feeling the pinch." The Studies linked: [1] http://www.esa.doc.gov/Reports/stem-good-jobs-now-and-future http://www.esa.doc.gov/Reports/stem-good-jobs-now-and-future [2] https://cew.georgetown.edu/report/stem/ https://cew.georgetown.edu/report/stem/ [3]http://www.esa.doc.gov/Reports/stem-good-jobs-now-and-future http://www.esa.doc.gov/Reports/stem-good-jobs-now-and-future [4] http://www.itif.org/publications/real-story-guestworkers-high-skill-us-labor-market http://www.itif.org/publications/real-story-guestworkers-hig...