Students considering a career centered on computers and computing often ask for clarification about the difference between computer engineering (CE) and computer science (CS). There are philosophical as well as practical answers to these questions. Both CE and CS study the use of the digital computer as a tool that makes possible much of modern technology and the overlap between the two fields is significant. Both disciplines study the inner workings of computers and both study hardware as well as software aspects of computer systems. The differences are those of emphasis. Students in CS, CE, or Software Engineering will all study programming and basic computer operation.

What is Computer Science (CS)?

Computer Science is traditionally more concerned with the theoretical underpinnings of computation and of programming; thus, one typically finds courses in programming, algorithms, numerical analysis and the theory of computation (what can and cannot in principle be computed) in Computer Science departments. So, an interest in math, puzzles and problem solving would suit a student well.

What is Computer Engineering (CE)?

Computer engineering programs largely developed in engineering departments strong in electrical engineering. Computer Engineering focuses on the practical aspects of development and use of computers.  Courses in digital logic design and processor interfacing which build on an engineering student’s knowledge of electronics and circuits are typically found in CE programs. Closely related to physics and engineering, computer engineering programs can be a thriving ground for students who want to understand how things work and apply that knowledge to build something new.

What is Software Engineering (SE)?

SE deals with building and maintaining software systems. It is more software-oriented and has a greater emphasis on large software applications than Computer Engineering. It is more applied than Computer Science, placing greater emphasis on the entire software development process, from idea to final product. It is also more disciplined than Computer Science, applying more systematic practices to help ensure that products are reliable and safe.

COMPARISON

Computer engineers build hardware while computer scientists generally do not. However, computer scientists certainly know enough about hardware to analyze computer system operations and to interact with hardware engineers. Computer scientists know more about the underlying theory of computation, programming languages, and operating systems.

While computer engineers often work as programmers, most system level programs such as programming languages and operating systems are designed by computer scientists. However, computer engineers usually write the programs for computer-based systems.

Difference in College Curriculum

Every university offers a different curriculum; however, the introductory programming classes are almost the same across the three majors. These include Loops, Functions, Java, C language, etc. and it takes about a year to complete these classes. All three majors have a requirement to complete core courses like Discrete Math, Computer Architecture and Calculus. 

Software Engineering majors use 90% of the same base knowledge as Computer Science at the undergraduate level. The 10% of the specialized electives are listed below.

JOB PROSPECTS

If you love problem-solving and understanding new technology, computer science could be the right career path for you. And the good news is: The industry is booming. In fact, computer science jobs are now the number one source of new wages in America.

The majority of these jobs require skills and knowledge gained through an advanced degree in computer science or computer engineering. Generally, a computer science master’s degree dives deeper into the technical skills you learned as an undergrad, with a greater focus on a specific career track and potential management roles. Some extremely popular master’s program options are – MS Data Science, AI, Computational Engineering, MBA, Cyber Security, etc.

Now something to know is that many schools don’t even offer a Software Engineering Major. The default is just CS based on the fact that they are so similar that if you pick either, your career trajectory will be the same.

The salary for both computer scientists and computer engineers is also highly attractive for prospective professionals. Computer science majors can earn 40 percent more than other college majors, and all occupations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pay more than non-STEM careers by 12-30 percent across all education levels. On average, computer scientists can earn $118,370 per year and computer engineers make $114,600 per year.

However, the careers available to computer scientists and computer engineers are quite different.

Computer scientists are likely to work in software development, computer programming, network and database design, web design, and testing. Some potential job titles for graduates with a degree in computer science include software developer, database administrator, web developer, data scientist, software engineer or project manager. 

With such unprecedented growth in a multitude of industries, Software engineers can pursue careers in any number of industries, including technology, healthcare, automotive manufacturing, green energy, remote sensing, aeronautics and finance. 

Computer engineers, on the other hand, focus on developing, designing and manufacturing microprocessors, integrated circuits, and other computing systems. Computer engineering graduates may get jobs working with telecommunications systems and devices, robotics, aerospace technology, and many other technologies. Graduates of computer engineering programs can get jobs with titles such as embedded software engineer, electrical design engineer, hardware engineer, or network engineer, mobile device engineer.