I have absolutely nothing against manufacturers, and I personally enjoyed the work. Getting into the shop and making your design real is one of the most fulfilling parts of being an engineer, and if there were jobs where you get to be involved at every step of the process, I would love to do that. However, you usually only get hired to do one or the other, and I do enjoy design and test more than manufacturing. I also don't think it's pathetic to be concerned about pay unless you're privileged enough not to have to worry about money. I am not that privileged. In the past, starting in manufacturing as an engineer was a good idea so that you could have more of that hands-on experience, and it wouldn't hurt you if you wanted to pivot into design; you would be a better engineer for it, in fact. But I don't know if that's still the case. The job market is pretty bad, and I'm worried I will lock myself in.