I’m a frum mechanical engineer and I am extremely happy with my career choice.
I think most people just aren’t interested or aren’t cut out for it.
One of the benefits of going to school in NY would be the ability to work out some kind of combination of yeshiva and college. Even if you don’t go to a formal yeshiva-college program, the mere fact that there are so many options will make it easier to work something out. I don’t know how easy it will be where you live.