They're both pretty much the same concept, IMO. In PLC design your circuit and devices are bigger. Instead of using silicon chips you're using macro devices that measure pressure, temperature, sense objects, control motors, and etc. etc.
I consider myself an expert PLC programmer. I think if in the course of your electronic studies you take computer science I and II (most universities require it), you will quickly excel in PLC programming also. It's a different control structure, not like computer programming languages at all, but the concepts are similar and when you learn to work within the limitations you'll be fine. Digital logic is very handy for PLC programming also, there is a lot of and/or logic.
As an electronics engineer, as you can see above, people will regard you in higher esteem, as piddly automation specialists such as myself are not well regarded outside of their workplaces. I interned in an oil field last semester and I can tell you that demand for PLC programming is extremely high right now. I felt more valuable there (as a student!) than I have ever felt in any position. They don't put them in space, but that's because people are using them up everywhere else! You can certainly earn equivalent salaries in the near-term and also in the long-term should you rise in ranks. There are jobs for PLC programmers in places where there are not jobs for electronics engineers, but not vice-versa. I find myself looking at job openings where an electrical engineer is requested, but my practical knowledge and theory background would likely be much more valuable. I've been told that this is the case through many factory tours that I've taken, also. The difference is that PLC programmers must be willing to get their "hands dirty." You'll be expected to tolerate some weather, get dirty, be on a factory floor.
The PLC is the Arduino of the professional world. It's easy, so people that do more complicated things piss on it. You'd be surprised at the level of complexity that can be managed with some very limited computing and instruction power. You might be surprised at the level of complexity an industrial control system can reach, also. As a PLC programmer you'll also be expected to understand the devices that allow them to communicate, like industrial ethernet networks and microwave band radios. There are a lot of variables to consider in failure mode analysis, system architecture, alarm notifications and consequences and so on. In my internship I worked a lot on watching for and preventing environmental damage through process interruptions. To these guys who think it's too low on the food chain, geez, you don't know what you're missing! Electronics engineers are designing the devices that form the system that I design, in that case you would be the Navy whom the Marines refer to as their chauffeurs! (erroneously) It's a BS argument, both occupations take some people with serious brainpower if the job is to be done right.
I began as an electrical/computer engineering student and changed majors after two years. I don't have a bias to one or the other, it depends on your personality, desires and where you would like to live. As said above, people don't mind talking about it. If you're in the US pm me and we can phone. I'm abstaining from a vote too, because it's a BS question, you need to do whatever is the best fit for your needs and wants. I can tell you that if you're not the type of person that likes to work on things out of the air conditioning, though, PLC programming is probably not for you. Someone has to troubleshoot those systems after they're installed in their working environment, usually you!
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