Electrical Engineer

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Dexie123

Senior Member
Hello all.

I'm considering going for my BSEE and then MSEE which I can get within the next 5 years. I'll be 42 by the time I finally get it and it will cost me about 75K dollars total. I'm make a decent living as an electrician now but really want to go for this.

My question is do you engineers out there feel it's worth the effort. Taking into consideration my age, etc...?

All opinions welcomed.

Thanks.
 

Dnkldorf

Senior Member
I'm not an engineer, but have always believed that:

"the more you learn, the more you earn"

Just a thought..
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Well, if you want it and don't go for it, in 5 years you'll be 42 and wishing you had. If you have the financial means to do it, I say go for it.

BTW, per my profile you can see my answer is not coming from an "Engineers" perspective.

Roger
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
It really depends on what you're doing now, how much money you currently earn and if you really want to be going up and down a ladder 15 years from now. For the record a few of the engineers I know, work more and make less than me.
 

Dexie123

Senior Member
infinity said:
It really depends on what you're doing now, how much money you currently earn and if you really want to be going up and down a ladder 15 years from now. For the record a few of the engineers I know, work more and make less than me.

Certainly believable but what kind of opportunities lie beyond how much money a person makes? If you're actually working for a living Infinity, like with your tools, etc... and unless you plan on just running the business than you have to ask yourself the toll on your body. I'd rather make $80k as an engineer than make $100k working, carrying, bad back, etc... just unsure if I want to spend $75k to do it!
 

Zifkwong

Member
I am currently an engineer and I was also an electrician.

An electrician can definitely make more money close to 20 to 25 percent, mainly from OT. Engineers put in a lot more money and tend to have a higher base pay. I imagine that you would sooner or later want to do less manual labor and that would fit more into the engineering role. In my opinion if you were and electrician and then become an engineer you would be a prime candidate to be a supervisor or a manager. I say go for it.....as far as the MSEE unless you intend on doing research, working on new machine or equipment designs....It is not worth it.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Dexie123 said:
you have to ask yourself the toll on your body. I'd rather make $80k as an engineer than make $100k working,

What will be the toll on your body if you become glued to a chair?

For me work is a free exercise program, I would hate to think of the shape I would be in if I did not work with the tools.

All I am saying is there is two sides to consider, if you back is messed up maybe sitting would put you in worse shape.
 

bphgravity

Senior Member
Location
Florida
I completely appreciate and respect Bob's perspective about "field work". The aspect of actually creating or building something with learned and natural skills with tools in hand was hard to give up when I decided to become an inspector. And now I find myself doing more and more plan review and building department administration, which keeps me out of the field even more.

However, I must say I much prefer being compensated for what I know rather than what I can do. In this area, electrical work has become nothing but production and little else. Being a knowledgeable electrician is not all that valuable. Working at the building department and as an instructor has been very rewarding both spiritually and financially.
 

hardworkingstiff

Senior Member
Location
Wilmington, NC
If it's something you want to do, then it makes no difference, GO FOR IT! You will have more opportunities after you complete your education. You don't have to use it, but I believe you will only regret not doing it.

Now for the working with tools. I'm soon to be 54 and I'll tell you after 50 it gets harder and harder. I am 50 lbs overweight and that exaggerates the problem, but I remember a friend of mine telling me this about 9 years ago (he's about 10 years older than I) and I could not understand what he was saying. I sure do now!

Get your education! It can only help.
 

W6SJK

Senior Member
Your experience as an electrician will be of great value on your resume when you go for that first job as an EE. I wish I could find more people with that combination of experience! Current starting salary for an EE is around 45-50K as I recall for EE's without that experience. But you may not get paid for OT. And assuming that you want to stay in building design, the MSEE will not be all that important. An MBA might be another idea.
 

ron

Senior Member
With the EE under your belt, it offers many paths. I also don't see too much call for MSEE in the construction industry, unless you were to go into R&D for a manufacturer.
Many MEP firms need staff that can comfortably go into the field and gather data for design, or for some other study (short circuit, coordination or arc flash), then bring it back and make head AND tails of the info in order to make the calculations.
There are also many project management roles for a person that can go on site and expeditiously review and approve shop drawings/submittal, and know what to look for during a punchlist.
Good luck.
 

Dexie123

Senior Member
Thanks for all your insight guys. This thread pretty much sums up the delemnia inside my head. I will take it day by day...... As it stands now I think I will go for it....!

Thanks again
 

haskindm

Senior Member
Location
Maryland
If you must go into debt for $75K in order to earn your Engineering Degree you will need to consider how much, if any, additional $ you will earn and how long it will take you to pay back your student loans and interest. I see many people with very high student loan debt, making the same money they could have made with less education. While I believe in education (I work for a college) be sure that you are realistic in your expectations and that you are seeking more education for the right reasons.
 

boater bill

Senior Member
Location
Cape Coral, Fl.
Go for the B.S. and take the P.E. route instead of the M.S. With your field experience, any good MEP firm would jump at the chance with your field knowledge. Simple things for you know, such as routing of conduit or MC is voodoo for a lot of desk design engineers. Heck, several I have worked with couldn't even tell the difference between EMT and Rigid by looking at it. But they could put it in a boiler plate!

Good luck with your decision
 

RayS

Senior Member
Location
Cincinnati
I agree with iwire-

the daily work does help keep you fit. I did project management for a couple years, and was definitely getting fatter and softer :))

Our bodies should be able to handle physical work indefinatly if we treat 'em right (gotta do those stretches!)
 

Lady Engineer

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
I guess I'll throw my two cents in:

I'm an engineer, and have been for about 6-7 years. I love it, while I don't know everything about the construction, I think I have a good basis. In this field you never stop learning. I think if you want to think, and solve problems go for engineering. That's what's it about...many ECs do tend to cross over because of the hard work in the field, but you can't look down on that because it does take a lot of engineering, and thinking out there when you run into problems that weren't thought of ahead of time. However, being an engineer will give you a good basis of electricity, plus you can still make plenty of money without breaking your back. Caution* you may get fat from sitting all day! Kidding...

It's up to you...I don't suggest the MSEE, it's just 5K extra pay for a 25K school loan. It's not worth it, your BSEE will turn to a master's when you get your PE. That's what was told to me by the state department of NJ. The PE will propel your career, and that's why I'm trying so hard to get mine. The PE is like being a CPA in the business world.

Like the CPA you may not know all the functions on your calculator, but you're darned licensed to use it.

Lady :)
 

Lady Engineer

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
I forgot about the Job market...the market is very good for an EE in construction. When I left my first job, I had about 5 other offers, plus you won't have to do too much travel to find work, and don't really have to travel that much to do the work. It's a situation where you have decide what you can and can not deal with.

Lady :razz:
 

kingpb

Senior Member
Location
SE USA as far as you can go
Occupation
Engineer, Registered
Sign me up for that free MSEE, I didn't know there giving them away now. :confused:

I'll bet my buddy that paid to get his education from USC is going to be pissed off when I tell him.

I think I'm going to apply for my PE in NJ, I could use some free accredidation.:D
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
Speaking as a person with the MSEE and the PE, I would recommend that you continue to consider getting both. Make sure you take the EIT (Engineer in Training) exam during your senior year. I wound up taking the EIT and PE exams on consecutive days, 12 years after graduation. That required a greater deal of preparation (mostly along the lines of jogging my memory) than it would have required, had I taken the EIT while the school stuff was still fresh.

I disagree with those who say the MSEE is of little value. And it should not be viewed as a cost/benefit equation (cost of the degree program versus likely increase in salary). Not only does it give you a greater in-depth knowledge of your chosen specialty area, it also sets you apart, when prospective new employers make their hiring decisions.

Best of luck to you.
 
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