15 years ago it would have been a no-brainer...airline compensation was better than most other career fields once you accounted for all the days off. That used to be enough to make up for the high cost of entry and the forced early retirement at 60.

But now the pay is down, as are the work-rules, so you work more and get paid less. Retirement is up to 65 which might be a good thing for some, but not so good for others.

One of the drawbacks to airline flying is that there is a certain degree of monotony...talented people might tend to feel under-utilized. That may not be an issue if you are getting paid more to work less than any professional job which would keep you fully engaged. But different story if your getting paid below your potential and bored to boot...

Tough call. I might suggest getting an engineering degree and then a job in that field after you graduate. Get your instructor ratings, teach on the side, and build flight time while you're doing that. After 2-3 years in your professional job you should have enough time to be within striking distance, and also a good feel for what engineering is really all about. Make a decision at that point. Hopefully you will have also made some connections in GA which lead to corporate opportunities.