I want to study engineering, but I have not yet decided what kind of engineering to study. I want to design things. Which kind of engineering would give me the best chance of spending my working life designing (rather than doing maintenance, management, administration, etc)?
It depends on what kind of "things" you want to design. Bridges, dams, buildings, roads? Civil and Structural engineering. Computers and electronics? Electrical, electronic, and software engineering. Machines and devices? Mechanical engineering. Most engineers in all fields will at some point encountner options that lead them more toward administrative and management, or toward hands-on design work. Think about it, most engineers work in an engineering department for a larger business. Someone has to manage the departments and the business, no matter what their field of business is. The best engineers have a good amount of experience in both.
The following link gives salary and numbered employed data from 2010 - USA.
[COLOR=#000000][FONT=monospace]Click Link --> [URL="http://www.engineersedge.com/engineering/Engineers_Edge/which_engineering_profession_pays_the_most_12894.htm"]Which engineering profession pays the most?[/URL][/FONT][/COLOR]
[B]Aerospace Engineering[/B]
Aerospace engineers design and develop aircraft and spacecraft, including airplanes, missile systems, earth-orbiting satellites, and the components that make them work. Typical job opportunities for aerospace engineers exist with aircraft manufacturers, satellite communication companies and defense contractors.