Engineering careers and schools?

KawieKX125 · May 9, 2002

Unless something dramatic happens in my life, I can garantee that I will be an engineer of some sort. I would like to know what sort of engineering fields there are out there, and what the average yearly pay of each type of engineer is? If youy could please post this info, I would appreceate it.

Quetions 2:
I am also looking for an engineering school to go to. So far, I have Cornell, U michgan, rochester institute of tech, rensylear(sp?) poly-tech, wooster(sp?) poly-tech, carnagie melon, lehigh, and a couple others that I can't really remember as prospective schools. What other schools do you know of? What is the curriculum like? Are they hands on or conceptual? Average board scores and size if you know? etc......

Thanks, I am just trying to plan the best future for myself, and I figure some of you will have some good advice. SAT scores come back in a week, so that will decide some of my fate :p .

WoodsRider · May 9, 2002

If you are in the upper percentile of your graduating class I would look into Kings Point Maritime Academy. They have an excellent engineering program. I personally know two people in the same general field as me who graduated from Kings Point and are doing extremely well.

The best part is the tuition. It's free! All you need is to be in the top percentile of your class and a letter from your congressman. You will have to serve time in the Naval Reserves after graduation. I think it's six years of reserve duty or two years active, but don't quote me.

Kaw_Boy_5 · May 9, 2002

I graduated with a degree in Mech engr. It seemed like the field that left you with the greatest variety of choices after school. I have designed marine diesels with Cat, built prototype boom trucks with Altec, built systems that test railroad tracks with Ultrasound, and am currently designing combined cycle combustion turbine power plants. I think you can do about anything with this degree. I don't feel that you need to simply target the "top schools" especially if you know the area that you want to work and live after you graduate. Employers will teach you the "real" stuff later anyway. Just my opinion.

Highbeam · May 9, 2002

One benefit of civil engineering, my field, is that it doesn't matter what school you went to. The state licenses you after you pass the professional engineering exam. The stamp you use once you're licensed doesn't list the school you went to. I went to the University of Washington, no doors have ever been shut because of my chosen school, in fact, many have been open. When you apply for a job, what are the chances that the interviewer went to one of these fancy schmancy ivy league schools? not good. If you are a conceptual/book type of guy, perhaps you may want to become a professor and this is the only time I would recommend seeking out a fancy schmancy school. Otherwise, attend your best state school and avoid a degree with the word "technology", make sure your degree will be specific to an engineering discipline. Civil, or mechanical engineering for example. You can always, and should, switch to a fancy schmancy school for your graduate degree if you go that route.

Good choice on engineering, there are many different types of engineer and you don't need to decide until you're almost half way through. I narrowed it down to machanical, civil, and forest engineering when I applied after my sophomore year.

Pay is plenty in the private civil engineering field, start at 40k and go up to 100k if you like management and live in the NW. You won't be rich but fat and happy is worth a milion bucks. One other important thing, there are always jobs for engineers. That is worth a few bucks to me.

zio · May 9, 2002

Look into LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas. EE & ME degrees. One of the best in the nation. Hands on. Average scores often beat out schools like MIT. Small class sizes, too, since it's a private university. Good stuff. I went there, they also have an outstanding aviation program. Again, one of the best in the nation. I flunked out in the first semester. Waay too tough for me. Of course, I never studied in highschool. I suppose that didn't help. :silly:

Not sure what salaries are like right out of school, but my friends all had jobs right away at companies like Lockheed, NASA, Cessna, GM, Ford, etc. I also know the Vice President (he's my father-in-law), so if you need any sort of info, let me know.

DAVE C · May 9, 2002

I graduated from Virginia Tech with a Civil Engineering Degree. Currently I am working on my MBA at Virginia Commonwealth University. If I could go back and do it again, I would go with Mechanical Engineering. The pay is better and the work is typically more interesting. I am a Transportation Engineer, which means that I design highways. It is relatively monotonous, but when eveyone else was sweating about loosing their jobs recently, I didn't have to worry. It is a very stable industry. Keep in mind though that money isn't everything (I learn that more every day). You are doing the right thing by trying to find information about various types of engineering beforehand. Just work hard and always try to think of where you want to be in 5 years. I would recommend any reputable state school to keep costs down but get a good education. You don't want to be paying for college for the rest of your life! Good luck!

DahlElama · May 9, 2002

An important thing to keep in mind... Civil Engineers are the people who build targets for Mechanical Engineers. ;)

Thats what my wife says anyway.... she's a Mechanical Engineer (Tulane)

KawieKX125 · May 9, 2002

I'm not to worried about the money issue, my parents have been puting money away since before I was born and they have mutual funds set up I think. So I hope that I don't have any or too many loans. I am not a conceptual guy, well, not entirely. I understand all concepts so far and I have a knack for visual things, like engineering. I don't want to be the poindexter calculating the properties of a certain metal needed, but rather the guy who comes up with the ideas, and prototypes them.

I am also not in the upper echelon of students in the school that I go to. It is a rigourous high school and although individually I score quite high on standardized tests, I pale in comparison to the top students at my high school.

MIT and caltech are not even remotely on my list, so I am not just going to go to an Ivy school and think that it makes me better off in life. I don't think I could deal with the pressure that those schools seem to place on students.

Another prerequisite that I have for a school is that I would prefer them to have a SAE formula or baja team. This is a student run organization where they build a formula type race car or baja one from scratch and then race it against other schools.

Thanks again and keep the suggestions coming.

BTW, My parents also suggested that I pursue being a patent lawyer. They live very well, and from what I am told, it is quite a fun job

yz_387 · May 9, 2002

I just finished my masters degree in ME at Michigan State University last week. That is also the school where I did my undergrad degree. I can say this, undergraduate work seems to be primarily conceptual and theory, sure there are projects, but most of my time was spent doing calculations. Graduate work on the other hand is very hands on. Personally I like this much more, but each person is different. Some would rather work at a computer, me I would rather get my hands dirty. As was said in another post, a big advantage of ME is that there are just so many options: design, computational, experimental, analysis, etc...... As far as pay, I wish I would have paid closer attention to the artical I read yesterday, it listed the top 10 paying jobs. I know ME was ranked fourth with an average starting salary of about 49k. EE and Computer Engineering were both higher at around 50k.

MikeT · May 9, 2002

SAE formula or baja team.

Sounds like you have narrowed it down to Mechanical Engineering. I am a Structural Engineer with a degree in Civil Engineering. I have one simple but very important bit of advice for you. As long as you go to an accredited school, it doesn't matter which one you go to. It DOES matter how much you put into it. The more you put into it, the more you'll get out. Simple as that.

Also as far as money goes, you'll make good money in the engineering field, but you'll make really good money if you get into management.

WoodsRider · May 9, 2002

Originally posted by KawieKX125
Another prerequisite that I have for a school is that I would prefer them to have a SAE formula or baja team.

Why must this be a prerequisite?
The University I graduated from did not have an SAE club. My sophmore year several of the students in the engineering-technology program got together and formed and SAE student club. My junior year I was involved in organizing a baja team. Basically my time was spent soliciting businesses for donations of material, money and equipment. My senior year I ended up president of our student club. While most of the underclassmen were working on designing and building the car I spent my time obtaining grants to send the team down to California for the competition. Unfortunately I graduated before the car was finished. The following year the team finally made it to the competition. While I may not have been there, the team would not have gone had it not been for the work that I did. I learned a lot about business and finance along with making contacts out in industry.

Before I graduated I did get the chance to drive a prototype of our baja car. It was a smart decision to wait and put another year of work into our car.

zio · May 9, 2002

SAE formula or baja team. This is a student run organization where they build a formula type race car or baja one from scratch and then race it against other schools.

Letourneau has one. Seriously, a very good school academically. They're just small (student body size is about 2000, I think).

Here's a press release from last year's event:

Longview, Texas, May 9, 2001--An off road all terrain vehicles designed and built by teams of mechanical engineering students from LeTourneau University placed in the top ten in the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Mini-Baja Competition held April 26-28 at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.

LeTourneau Entry #5, the “Providence” took 9th place overall among 101 entries from colleges and universities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Another LeTourneau car, Entry #7, the “Miracle,” took 11th place overall. First place in the competition went to an entry from the University of Wisconsin.

Other top ten finishers, in addition to LeTourneau, were Brigham Young University (2nd), Utah State (3rd), Rochester Institute of Technology (4th and 8th), Michigan Tech (5th), Colorado School of Mines and Technology (6th), University of Nebraska (7th) and the Universidad La Salle (10th).

Other Texas finishers included the University of Texas at El Paso (22nd), Rice University (23rd), (SMU (42nd), Lamar University (49th) and Texas Tech (97th).

This is the third year in a row that a LeTourneau team has placed in the top ten. Last year LeTourneau's two entries placed 5th and 7th against a field of 87 entries. The Baja cars were judged on design, cost and safety. Teams gave presentations about their cars, and showed off their performance during hill climb, maneuverability and acceleration events. The Baja cars and drivers were also put to the test during the four-hour endurance race over the rugged terrain of the School Creek Off-Road Vehicle Area of Milford Lake.

The two LU entries were strong contenders in almost every facet of the competition, which included seven different events. Out of 1000 points possible, there was less than 20 points difference between places 3 through 9th.

Student team members for the two vehicles were primarily junior and senior Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology majors. Team members included Elisabeth Archibald, Greensboro, N.C.; Abbigail Ayers, Alvin, Texas; Justin Callaway, Derry, N.H.; Stephen Cyrus, Pompano Beach, Fla.; Joy Gillilan, Poriya Elit, Israel; David Leathers, Benjamin, Texas; senior Dale Morrow, Covington, Ohio; Lon Osborn, Newberg, Ore.; Amber Ronningen, Coeur’d Alene, Idaho; Andy Seals, Marshall, Texas; and Steve Williams, Waxhaw, N.C. Dr. Bill Thrasher, professor of mechanical engineering, was the team faculty advisor.

National sponsors of the Mini Baja event include Briggs and Stratton, Caterpillar, Cessna Aircraft, the Geary County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Gilbert Texas Construction, Honda, John Deere--Waterloo Works, Yamaha, K-State Institute for Environmental Research and Motorola.

Alumni and Local sponsors for the LeTourneau vehicles include ABC Auto Parts, David Archibald, Autocraft Material Recovery, Michael Denholm, Eastman Chemical, Katherina Frisch, Hart Engineering, Miriam Lancaster, Robert Plott, Steven Rundus, Philip Steers III and Stemco Inc.

More information about the competition is available from the K-State SAE Web site at www. ksu.edu/sae.

zio · May 9, 2002

Here's a press release re: a recent competition by the ASME :

LeTourneau students take 2nd and 4th places in international engineering competition

In a contest that some have called the “World Cup” of engineering events, mechanical engineering students from LeTourneau University took second and fourth place honors at the International American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) Student Competition held Nov. 9-11 in Orlando.

They competed against the first place winners from 13 regional contests from around the U.S. and the world, who in turn represented the top efforts of approximately 400 university teams that began competition at ASME regional events held last spring.

Paul Hvass, a senior from Northfield, Minn., took second place in the Old Guard Oral Competition, presenting “The Intelligent Human Arm.” His presentation dealt with student research toward developing a nerve-activated prosthetic devise. Mike Swanbom, a junior from Clovis, Calif., and Andy Dettmer, a senior from San Marcos, Texas, took 4th place in the Student Design Contest for their project, the “Smokin’ Tortoise.” The design project involved the creation of a mini soda bottling plant capable of transporting, filling and capping a one-liter soda bottle as quickly as possible without any leakage.

The students had taken first places in regional competition held in April and represented ASME Region X (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and the nation of Mexico) in the international contest.

Dr. Roger Gonzalez, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, was the faculty advisor for the LeTourneau teams. “I am very proud of the efforts these students put into their projects. It takes ingenuity, perseverance and very long hours. These students bring excellence and determination to their work,” said Gonzalez.

“Across the 13 regions of the ASME approximately 400 top engineering student teams competed for a berth in the International Competition. Just getting to internationals is itself an honor. It’s kind of like earning a berth on an Olympic or World Cup team. Then to go to the contest and pull down a 2nd place and a 4th place puts these students in an exceptional class. They are among the best of the best engineering students in the world,” said Bill Gibbs, director of university relations.

This is the second year that LeTourneau teams have taken top regional honors and advanced to the International Competition. In 1999, LeTourneau teams placed 2nd and 7th in the International ASME Student Competition.

SweepRider · May 9, 2002

Software Engineering! Incredible demand and very high salaries. Mechanical or Electrical/Electronic Engineering degrees are good choices too. Just stay away from Quality Engineering unless you have an interest in Software Quality Assurance. QA is a curse that sticks to you like glue!

DahlElama · May 9, 2002

Just stay away from Quality Engineering unless you have an interest in Software Quality Assurance. QA is a curse that sticks to you like glue!

SweepRider - I prefer to call it.. "The Department of Impeding Progress". QA Engineers aren't cursed... we are just a little weird. Please check in your work for the day. Its time for a code review.... :p

BadgerMan · May 9, 2002

Actually, I am the cursed one.....my wife happened to be logged on when I responded. However, if you checked Sweeprider's profile you will notice that she is somewhat of a computer egghead too! LOL!

It's nice to know there is someone with similar "interests" lurking about. I currently perform the SQA function on airborne embedded software.....all heavily regulated by the FAA. This makes QA's job very easy since there is no resistance when problems are found.

Don't get me wrong since I truly believe QA/QE of any type is a noble and important profession. It's just that eventually you find that you are a jack of all trades and master of none. At least that has been my experience. And the software engineers always make more money!

Philip · May 10, 2002

Hey DahlElama, your wife went to Tulane we won't hold that against her
(GEAUX TIGERS).
LSU
La. Tech
Texas A&M
Michigan
SMU
Miss. State
UNO
Tulane :silly:

All of these have good Engineering Dept. Plus their are many more I am just not aware of. Do the research and find which study is more interesting to you. All disciplines of Engineering are rewarding and offer many oppertunities.

DahlElama · May 10, 2002

April 2, 2002
MOSCOW – The University of Idaho's Clean Snowmobile Team took first place overall, four trophies and $10,500 in prize money March 30 at the Society of Automotive Engineers Clean Snowmobile Challenge in Jackson Hole, Wyo. UI competed among 15 collegiate teams and nearly 200 student colleagues from the U.S. and Canada.

The 12-member team of UI engineering students designed and competed with a quieter, more fuel efficient, and cleaner running snowmobile than current trail models. UI's team finished just two points higher in 11 events than Kettering University's team, so judges awarded both UI and Kettering first place co-champions with scores of 1171 and 1169.

The Vandals won Best Fuel Economy, Best Performance, Best Design and the Hillclimb, which includes bragging rights and belt buckle for "King of the Hill." The team also took second in emissions, and second in acceleration and sound production, learning from last year's challenge.

University of Idaho Engineering program also participates in Future Truck, Clean Snowmobile, Formula Racer, Micro-Baja, and other advanced prototypes. As a bonus you could probably go riding with XRPredator.

Jaybird · May 11, 2002

Rose-Hulman, UofLousiville Speed School, Purdue

I had a physics teacher once who talked about the beginnings of LeTourneau U. Apparently the school started to facilitate the need for engineers for a road project. The state of Texas had a huge road contract to let. There were several potential bidders and LeTourneau had some ideas for earth moving equipment that could do what no other earth moving contractor had been able to re-produce. Some of the trucks needed to haul such massive loads as would be required to meet the dealines LeTourneau stated he could meet, were bigger and more complex than any equipment of that sort has ever been. ( I understand a LeTourneau truck could carry a Euclid around like a toy)
The engineering of the big trucks and other massive earth moving equipment made it nessesary to employ some of the brightest and best engineers available. Apparently the staffing needed was not always available so LeTourneau decided to start the college to train his own people from scratch. It turned out to be one of the top notch schools on the globe for engineering.

weimedog · May 11, 2002

Engineering...I was one once. That evolved into Sales and then management of sorts. A couple of things I would consider as soon as your able. What type of personality are you??? If you want to be working out doors AND have people skills...be a Civi. Then you can have your own business in places like Colorado and California doing everything for soil engineering, foundation engineering, surveying, etc. Good money. Lots of freedom. Out doors.

If you want to be a corperate guy....electrical gets you into some types of business and mechanical others. Either one coupled with business minors can set you up for sales and management. If you have the people skills, get to sales asap! Thats where future top company management if farmed from. Those with the engineering background, businesss, marketing, and sales move past the glass ceiling where good techy's are just that...and they are a dime a dozen despite what they think.

Jaybird · May 11, 2002

If you like electrical things, a Controls Engineer makes better money than most entry level eng's.
A man who completely understands and writes ladder logic can write his own ticket in both the fluid processing and mechanical fields.
Tip: Controls engineers rarely see their home.

I have a buddy who was proffesing electrical engineering at a small TN college. One of his students was telling of his job waiting for him when he finally recieved his degree....when He told what his entry level salary was going to be, my buddy decided that he was definately in the wrong business. He had obtained his P.E. many years prior and had been working for chicken feed. He gave up teaching and started his own business...a VERY succesful controls business I might add. He now buys his wife a new Jag every year whether she needs it or not! :)

Jasle · May 11, 2002

I'll offer this advice. Figure out what you think you want to be and then find someone doing it. Hang around them for a day or two. Decide if they have the lifestyle you want/expect after spending 4 hard years studying. In the end I ended up with a 2 year degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. I started out at 37K/year and now make over 95k/year. Not in managment. Don't like my job but I only work 3 days a week so it really doesn't matter to me. I have 4/7 of my week to spend where its important...With my family. Just figure out what lifestyle you expect to live and then find out how to get it. Don't make the mistake of doing something because you like it. After doing it day in day out for years you might come to no like it. I do things I like when I am not at work. Thats why they call it work.
My opinion is this. Do what makes sense...not what feels good. I only work in Semiconductors because it pays the bills pretty well and gives me time to do other important things.

Got my fire suit on...let the flames begin.
Jason

HomeMadeSin · May 11, 2002

Weimedog is right! Really it boils down to what you like most, but if engineering is what you are choosing to do for money's sake - be aware. If you have the personality and motivation, get into technical sales (sales positions that require engineering degrees. These can lead to all kinds of future jobs and doesn't preclude you from moving up the ladder. How many CEO's or Upper Management positions are straight engineers? Few, if any.

Beyond that, ME and EE probably provide the most solid background to build upon. ChemEs can make some nice coin. Civil Engineers, from what I hear, aren't the best paid and good jobs can be hard to come by.

Also, if you intend on getting your Professional Engineer status, you stand a better chance with ME and EE, or at least a strong background in each. When I got past the first part 9 years ago, the questions were stacked in favor of ME and EE.

Good luck.

SpeedyManiac · May 11, 2002

In fall 2003 I'll be going into Mechanical Engineering, most likely at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada). Don't know about schools in the USA, but the top ones in Canada are McGill University, University of Waterloo and University of Alberta.

Rattletrap'83CR480 · May 12, 2002

If your looking to make really good money out of college (6 figures easy) to support your toy habit, it's an EECS degree for you my friend. Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences degree. My buddy graduated and started of at 150K+ right out of school. Not too bad, eh? Although the burnout factor may be high, If you don't mind hittin' the books for a couple of years hard, this might be a good way to go. :D

Engineering careers and schools?

KawieKX125

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