[Germanauto]

I too am the child of immigrants, in this case from India. My parents are pretty well integrated and gave me lot of freedoms, but with career stuff they weren't messing around and for good reason.

My parents saw poverty first-hand and worked their asses off to get well-educated and earn good positions in good companies. As a result I've had amazing opportunities to succeed in life. Your parents may be annoying about it, but they know that in the long-term a STEM career will provide stability and a good livelihood. Sales in any field, especially automotive, are unpredictable. Who knows what the career will be like in 10 years, 20, 30 years from now.

Also keep in mind that everything will become more expensive with time. Inflation, rent/real estate prices, taxes etc. have rendered buying power much less than it used to be. 20 years ago people in my profession were probably able to buy a new M5 and a home in Los Angeles straight out of training, that is no longer the case. You'll have a spouse, kids, mortgage, life insurance, retirement accounts, etc. Your salary may seem fine for a single guy but you'll feel the squeeze as life continues.

My advice as somebody just a few years older than you: take education seriously. You'll thank yourself for it one day. Sure there are some people who've done well without an education, but they are few and far inbetween. Go get a degree in a field with growing demand. Your career won't be defined by your degree, but that piece of paper gives you the platform and credentials to go succeed in whatever route you choose.