Matlab is basically used for computing matrix operations and it is actually high level language for designing high level images and matrix.

 

I have used matlab for alot of projects during my education actually. For writting finite element codes, to make controllers and for computational fluid analysis codes too. But thats when I was learning the basics of how these things worked. After that, its always just using softwares instead of writing the whole code again. For FEM I started using NASTRAN PATRAN and ansys. For CFD I started using fluent.

Now I use matlab, only for some freelance work actually. But I have friends in the industry working for research and development of military weapons missiles that still use matlab for their work. Actually, their whole work is based on matlab.

Also, before I even got started at matlab, I used to use codeblock C and fortran for my calculations. So what you use in your professional life is a matter of where you work and what you work on.

Some of my engineer friends only use excel, powerpoint and word.