0. Move to the United States of America
If you miss that one the rest is pretty pointless, unfortunately. For example, in (at least most of) Europe you would be much better off studying blogposts titled “How to Become a Mediocre Manager”.
>Researchers found that the average computer science student in the U.S. ranked higher than about 80 percent of students tested in China, India and Russia, Loyalka said. In contrast, the difference in scores among students in China, India and Russia was small and not statistically significant.
>Researchers also compared a smaller pool of students from top-ranking institutions in each country. They found that the average student in a top computer science program in the U.S. also ranked higher than about 80 percent of students from top programs in China, India and Russia. But the top Chinese, Indian and Russian students scored comparably with the U.S. students from regular institutions, according to the research.
https://news.stanford.edu/2019/03/19/comparing-skills-comput...
Here’s an alternative hypothesis: America seems genuinely very good at incentivizing bright young people to study CS.
I looked through the study and I was not able to find the test they were given. This is the organization that makes them:
https://www.ets.org/pdfs/mft/comp-sci-test-description.pdf
The phrasing for the US number is different but probably semantics:
We also obtained assessment data on 6,847 seniors from a representative sample of CS programs in the United States. When it comes to the foreign countries the district term "tested"
The sample size is drastically different:
China: 678 India: 364 Russia: 551 US: 6837
Further Americans developed all tests.
It would be interesting if the reverse tests were done. Russia developed one test, China one, India one, Then the sample group from this test would take each one seperatly and with good time to rest (days) between tests. If the results were equal to this first study.
They might well be.
Sadly that’s not entirely true. Some still follow their heart, but end up as mediocre disgruntled engineers in dead end jobs. It’s very hard to fight incentives for decade after decade. When those incentives point towards working as little as possible it’s hard to be great.
If the best engineers move to the US for high comp, and working with the best engineers is the best way to learn, then moving to the US could make sense even if you don't care about comp.
It is not only about how much you make, but how much you save.
You can live very comfortably in a low cost country with a $90,000/year salary and still save half of that.
There are definitely career paths in Europe that mean you get to flex your engineering skills. They aren't always obvious, but they very much exist.
Nope. The end goal of my engineering is to build meaningful products that improve other people’s lives.
But sure, with your attitude to work you’ll do fine in Europe.
Humanity survived till 21st century without my help.
I am sure the world will do just fine with me working in Europe instead of US.
I am sure it will do fine when I am dead.
I will focus on helping myself as the first priority.
Thanks.