Forum Post: Why I became a derivatives trader instead of an EE.

I got my EE at MIT but ended up working at Optiver instead and then eventually trading my own capital.

Because I was well compensated, and got respected in the industry. In our society no one cares about the guy quietly working on the cure for Cancer, the teacher trying to get the next generation ready to lead our nation. No one wants to compensate appropriately someone who spends money getting an education and wants to work on the next airplane etc..

Why do you think Wall street is the biggest employers of engineers and scientists?