9781422269985

Introduction

CAREERS IN SCIENCE OFFER GOOD PAY, THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PEOPLE, AND OTHER REWARDS

Where would we be without science? Well, we’d be without computers, smartphones, robots, spacecraft, and other cutting-edge technologies. Crimes would take longer to solve without modern forensic analysis techniques. More people would continue to have to rely on environmentally unfriendly fossil fuels instead of using clean energy. It would be harder to detect dangerous weather events such as tornadoes and hurricanes. And life would be less fun, because we wouldn’t have drones, awe-inspiring and physics-defying roller coasters, and the computer and video games that we play for hours. Job markets are sometimes strong and sometimes weak, but a career in science (which, for the purposes of this series, includes the related fields of technology and engineering) is almost a sure path to a comfortable standard of living. The following paragraphs provide more information on why a career in science is a great choice. Good pay. People in science careers earn some of the highest salaries in the work world. The median annual salary for those in engineering careers in the United States is $79,840, according to the US Department of Labor (DOL). This is much higher than the median earnings ($45,760) for all careers. Additionally, those in life, physical, and social science occupations earn

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