robhoy

I'm a physicist, does that count? Not great pay but as a professor I have a LOT of freedom, no annoying bosses, get to travel to interesting places and (most importantly) get paid to do something I love every day. It's a long, hard climb, but for me it was definitely worth it. Whatever you end up doing, my advice is to do what you love - there's more to life than money and you'll be happier in the long run

Not gonna knock the anti-PhD people, but I'd like to offer a different perspective. If you love research and want some freedom to choose your direction, it's the only way to go. If you want to teach, obviously it's the only way to go. And while you'll make (a LOT) less in your 20s, you'll end up making more, doing more satisfying work, in the long run.


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Buntinboy9

Civil Engineer here that graduated from Purdue University.

I took the longer route in that I left school for a year to do a co-op. Best damn thing I could have ever done. I got paid to go work in a power plant and learn hands on at 21 years old. (24 now) With that knowledge I was able to return to school with much more of a fire and know exactly how I wanted to use my degree.

I am now a Civil/ Structural Engineer with my Engineer in Training (EIT) hoping to start school for an MBA in a year and earn my Professional Engineer (PE) as well as my Structural Engineer (SE) after 4 years. The PE and SE are more or less board certifications and can be placed between "preferred" and "expected" for a Civil Engineer. I love my job as a civil because I get to go to the office on a daily basis, (ie stay close to home and not have to travel from work site to work site that is in the middle of BFE) and then travel to the field every so often and see what I am actually designing be built.

Obviously you need to go with something you are passionate about. I told my dad before I left for college that I wanted to be a Mechanical Engineer so that I could go work in the automotive industry (Mechanical Aerodynamics intrigued me) and my dad told me to choose a different path so that I wasn't turning my hobby into work. (This was to preserve my love of my hobby.) It has worked for me and I love ripping into my car after work and on weekends as well as racing it during warmer months.

Hope this helps.

Little engineering joke that I like.

To an optimist the glass is half full,
to a pessimist the glass is half empty,
to an engineer the glass is twice the size in needs to be.

fesoferbex

I'm currently double-majoring in Chinese and Aerospace Engineering. So, not an engineer yet, but I'll be joining you all before too long!

CHIPPO

Are there any lift/elevator engineers over there in the US?

s.hasan546

high pay without much work? The bankers i know are all very smart, from top schools, & work like dogs. I do not envy them lol. Wall street isn't an easy job like some people like to make it out to be.

s.hasan546

Depends on the doctor, just like it depends on the type of engineer (Also depends on location. Canada is totally different). Here in NY engineers do not make much & have low job security from what I've seen. My sister is an ER Doctor and works 10 12 hour shifts a month for $250k+. That's just starting as a first year attending. Even after loan payments thats a lot of money. Even GPs in the US are making decent $/hour. Most hospitals do 7 days on 7 days off. 14 10 hour shifts usually/month (under 40 hours/week.) For about $150k.

In the US the doctors that own their own clinics are the ones who work like dogs for crappy pay

My uncle, an electrical engineer of 30 years, barely pulls in $100k, works longer hours (b.c of layoffs) and is worried about his job.

JonBoy

In Alberta, engineers with 3-yrs experience are making $80K-$90K (in the capital city, not out in the field or in some remote area). Engineers with 10 yrs experience are pulling in $150K+ base salary with total benefits/pay nearing $200K.

cottoncandyek

Currently in school for Electrical Engineering (specialization control systems). Not sure if I made the right decision picking that over Mechanical. Any insights regarding Electrical Engineering career path and whatnot? Any advice?

s.hasan546

Comparing pay of a place that has what like 4-5 million people? Doesn't really compare. Salary is very regional dependent. Even tho ny metro is suppose to have higher salaries, doctors and engineers both get paid less here.

JonBoy

I'm not sure your point. I was merely stating what they can make here. That's it.

GP here makes about $175K, give or take, depending on what they do and how hard they work.