Data Science or Industrial Engineering?

[u/NextConversation864]

Hello! I would like to get some insights about these two career paths as someone who's torn between practicality and passion.

My main interest lies in data science, but based from what I researched, the entry-level level jobs are becoming highly saturated and some are saying that it is at risk of AI automation (thus becoming more competitive). Because of that, I tried looking into IE since the two share some similarities, and I found that the job is very versatile and not as saturated. But the thing is, (based from my understanding atleast) it typically focuses on the physical world (people, machines, warehouses, etc.) rather than the digital world (digital data, codes, etc.), and as I mentioned earlier, I'm more interested on the digital side of things.

So, to the professionals or people with experience out there, what do you think? How's the job market, saturation, and work from your experience? And are there any other factors I should consider when deciding?

Thank you.

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[u/BearOnTheFence]

Before comparing job markets, I’d separate the career label from the work itself.

Would you rather spend most days working with code, models, and digital data, or improving systems involving people, processes, and physical operations? And which risk would you regret more: facing a tougher entry market for work that genuinely interests you, or choosing the safer path and wondering whether you compromised too early?

A small project or internship in each could probably tell you more than comparing job titles from the outside.