Any Engineers In The House?

[brn agn]

I want a minimum $100,000 a year after a few years.

You may want to think about a different field. I've been working as an ME for 8 years and I make no where close to 100K. However, my wife and I live well below our means and we are very comfortable financially. Of course, this could lead to a completely different post.

My point is that there are probably few Engineers making 100K/year after a couple of years. Below is a link to my alma mater (hey DLinson!) with a list of starting salaries for Engineers:

http://career.mst.edu/salaryhiring/salary.html

[qwik1320]

Ahh, to be young again... bigvegan has the right message although you might not want to hear it. Do what you love and the money will follow. I know it's tough to hear, but money isn't everything.

Back when I was in school the top engineers went into Aerospace, Architectural and Electrical. I work with a few Biomedical Engineers and they do pretty well. If you want big money quick get your degree and work overseas in Saudi Arabia.

Are you going to college now? For the cash you want you're going to need the grades, brains and cash to get into a school with a well known Engineering program.

[Slow Ride]

I've been an engineer for almost 10 years now(MSOE'98) I also have my PE license. I probably won't ever make 100K. My designers with 2 year degrees make more than I do because they get paid overtime. For example, one of my senior designers averaged about 45 hours per week and made close to 70K, another averaged close to 50/wk and made over 80K. I still make low 60's and work around 50hrs/wk. If your wife has good health insurance then working through a contract agency would be even more lucrative. I live in central Wisconsin where the cost of living is pretty low, we pay contract CATIA V5 designers minimum $35/hr and have paid $50+/hr in the past for very qualified people. They get to do all of the fun design stuff anyways. I come up with ideas and check their work. Most of the time I am in meetings or doing paperwork. Also remember how much a quality eduaction costs, hell I still owe $10K for school.

Also remember that in most manufacturing settings everyone hates engineering.

[theoriginator]

I'm taking some college math classes right now refreshing my brain so hopefully I can be finished in a couple years, or that was the plan. But from what I'm hearing Engineers don't make all that much considering the amount of work it takes to get the degree and the cost of the education. Maybe I should look at Finance instead, or maybe computer aided design, and make some engineering friends, as I already know how to weld and do basic mechanical work and how to navigate the auto industry pretty well. I'm dissapointed, I thought they made much more on average.I guess what I really want to know is where's the ****ing money?

[qwik1320]

Aww hell, I just noticed you live in Texas. Find the nearest oil tycoon's ugly daughter and marry her ass!

[bigvegan]

"Where's the ****ing money?"

Finance, especially hedge funds, derivatives, and complex arbitrage. If you got a BA from an excellent school with a double major in math or statistics and economics, and then got an MBA in finance and/or went to work for a major investment banking firm as an associate, you'd make some serious coin before too long. You'd be bored as hell (unless you love math and economics, in which case it would be sweet), and you'd probably never leave the office, but that would be the way to generate a top income.

Or sales. You don't need a degree to become a stockbroker, and if you can master cold-calling, you can make 6 figures in a couple of years.

Or, like I said before, figure out what you love to do the most, get the education and skills to do it well, and let the money take care of itself.

There are lots of rich people out there that are divorced, depressed, and miserable by the time they turn 50. Or even well before that, just look how crazy money and fame has made the young Hollywood crowd lately. (See e.g. Brad Renfro (R.I.P.), Heath Ledger (R.I.P.), Brittany (5150'd a matter of days ago), Owen Wilson (suicide attempt), etc., etc.) These are people with all the money and resources in the world, and they still can't get it together.

There are far fewer people that do what they love every day in the same situation, and most of them aren't starving.

Money is only a means to an end. If you know what your goals and ends are, and can achieve them without spending a lot of time doing things you don't like, then don't waste your time.

That said, an education is usually helpful, so if you know what you want to study, go for it!

If I could go back to undergrad again and do it over, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Seriously, Texas coeds? I'm tempted to take out some more loans and go to school with you.

[WS6]

I'm taking some college math classes right now refreshing my brain so hopefully I can be finished in a couple years, or that was the plan. But from what I'm hearing Engineers don't make all that much considering the amount of work it takes to get the degree and the cost of the education. Maybe I should look at Finance instead, or maybe computer aided design, and make some engineering friends, as I already know how to weld and do basic mechanical work and how to navagate the auto industry pretty well. I'm dissapointed, I thought they made much more on average.I guess what I really want to know is where's the ****ing money?

Engineering isn't for you, sorry. Not a single one of us in engineering school are here because we want to be rich. You want a business degree if all you care about is money. Sure, you can make a great deal with an engineering degree, but you're going to work for it. I think you also either need to move to a place with a lower cost of living or you need to realize just how far you can go making $70k a year. Get educated in something no matter what you do. Good luck.

[megaladon6]

[/quote]

i knew i should have gone to school!!!

[brn agn]

I have to agree with bigvegan here. If you are only looking for a career based on money, I think you will end up dissapointed. My experience is that the more money you make, the more you will spend and the more you focus on money the more unsatisfied you will be. That's just my humble opinion. If someone who is wealthy disagrees, please speak up.

[RSX302]

My 2 Pennies...
I apologize in advance if I offend anyone, not my intention.

I've been in a mechanical industry for 20yrs and have worked with many different types of engineers. I would like to start in saying that I do not have an engineering degree, but sometime I think about getting one or wish I had done it earlier in life.

This is where I apologize..

I see fresh engineers out of school think that they should be making big money right away. The problem is everyone needs to go thru the same years of real world experience to know what they are going to engineer or re-engineer. I can't count how many times I've corrected designs or field work due to lack of fully understanding the process. It may work on paper,but.....

I have a hard time in my field because the lack of a degree. I feel I don't get the respect I should. Basically I'll correct what the engineers do and let them take the credit. They all know where to come for answers but the company won't give my an engineering title. So they call me something else....I still make 100K a year...

Anyway...go to school, get a degree and from there work your butt off. I you get into the trade you wish and put many year of real world experience in, you will make more then me...

and yes I wish I knew how to write and talk better...

Good Luck....

[RSX302]

I have to agree with bigvegan here. If you are only looking for a career based on money, I think you will end up dissapointed. My experience is that the more money you make, the more you will spend and the more you focus on money the more unsatisfied you will be. That's just my humble opinion. If someone who is wealthy disagrees, please speak up.

The problem is I live in California !!!

Just because I make 100K, I still live paycheck to paycheck...

I live middle class and I'm fortunate enough to have a very nice 68 Camaro. I don't consider myself wealthy by a long shot...

Yes..the more money you make the more stress and greef you will have....

[dipren443]

I've been an engineer for almost 10 years now(MSOE'98) I also have my PE license. I probably won't ever make 100K. My designers with 2 year degrees make more than I do because they get paid overtime. For example, one of my senior designers averaged about 45 hours per week and made close to 70K, another averaged close to 50/wk and made over 80K. I still make low 60's and work around 50hrs/wk. If your wife has good health insurance then working through a contract agency would be even more lucrative. I live in central Wisconsin where the cost of living is pretty low, we pay contract CATIA V5 designers minimum $35/hr and have paid $50+/hr in the past for very qualified people. They get to do all of the fun design stuff anyways. I come up with ideas and check their work. Most of the time I am in meetings or doing paperwork. Also remember how much a quality eduaction costs, hell I still owe $10K for school.

Also remember that in most manufacturing settings everyone hates engineering.

This is probably the biggest disappointment I have with my "Engineering" position. I know I am not the only engineer mired in paperwork and bureaucratic BS. I have many friends working for Lockheed Martin and have the same complaint.


There is one other way to make decent coin with a basic Mechanical Engineering degree. Most of our field service personnel make very close to six figures, but spend little time at home. It is a huge tradeoff and it is not for everyone, however.

[Project69]

I was going to go to college right out of high school and get a degree in engineering, but i realized that it wasnt worth the time and money. 4 years to get a degree and wind up in the same situation i was right after high school, or making $200k in the same 4 years working where i am now... you do the math. 50k a year without a college education is pretty damn good if you ask me, i can retire at 38 with 75% of my salary at the time. Great to get an early start.

[bochnak]

I have a degree in Aerospace engineering. Never touched a plane/spacecraft in my life. I ended up working as a “Mechanical/Design engineer” in the transit industry. You mentioned you want to work on cars? I think every engineer wants that rock star job. Very unlikely you will get that, and depends where you want to live.

I do like my line of work. The benefits, pay, and hours are good. I don’t think my salary will ever hit 100k, especially working at the same company. I will probably have to jump ship a few times. I’m currently taking some business management classes for a certificate, and plan on going for my MBA soon.

BTW, I started off at a community college for 3 years, then transferred to U of I (state school) for 2.5. Sure it took 5.5 years to get my degree, but I paid about 50k for my education, which is nothing these days.

Good luck. I would recommend getting a degree of some kind.

[dharrod]

Industrial Engineer here .. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

[rohrt]

I think I live in the engineering capital of the world. Right next door is Rockwell Collins. They have tons of opening for engineers both mechanical and electrical and avionics. From what I have seen they pay pretty well. You might get to 100k if you work their long enough and climb the corporate ladder. The only down side is if you work on the defense division, depending on who gets in the white house when the defense cuts come your job could be cut as well. They do have a comercial avionics division as well. I think they have a branch in Californial to.

Cedar Rapids is great place to live with a low Cost of living. Good schools, low crime rate, and low insurance rates. You just have to put up with this -8 deg cold weather.

I also kick myself for not getting a 4 year deg. I got a 2year tech deg in electronics and then got a MCSE and did IT for a while. If I had the Engineering deg I would be so much farther ahead then I am now. At least finacally.
I have only 15 years of work experiance to look back on and what I remeber is not so much the paychecks but the jobs I did. Some were fun and others really sucked. Some jobs make you very anti-scocial and some put you in contact with lots of people. If you end up working 60+ hours a week for a big pay check and your wife and kids never see you and end up leaving it aint worth it. When you spen 8-10 hours in front of your work and never talk with people it takes a toll on a person mentally.

I have looked into going back to school for a ME degree and found a school in Californio that will alow you to get a Engineering degree of you choice completley Online. I think its California National University. I'm not looking to make a 100k just a decent amount to live on with company that has good benifits. Where I can put in a 8-5 and go home at the end of the day and see the family. I should of done this when i was young.

[Slow Ride]

Where I can put in a 8-5 and go home at the end of the day and see the family. I should of done this when i was young.

Maybe on a Friday. I'm lucky if I get away with a 10 hour day. A couple of years ago I averaged 53 for the year. That worked out to $17.42/hr. My boss at the time put in way more hours than I did, he would have been better off as a janitor.

[ill steez]

I think the best decision I've made as far as education goes so far has been to finish my undergrad in Electrcal Engineering. I, along with my graduated class, has multiple job opportunities as we came out of school, and from what I've experienced have the highest starting salaries of any of the other engineering disciplines.

I considered switching to mechanical multiple times, but in the end decided against it. The only thing that really attracted me to mechanical engineering was the automotive application, and automotive engineering jobs are so impacted and hard to come by that I would be hard pressed finding a job that I would actually enjoy that paid well. Also, just out of my own engineering school, I noticed that the mechanical engineers were the ones that had the most trouble finding jobs right after school. That could also be due to the fact that I live in silicon valley, where the majority of the jobs would be electrical or computer engineering realted... but still.

Either way, whichever direction you choose to go, I think an engineering degree is definently a very wise plan.

[YoungGun]

I am suprised I haven't seen more posts along the lines of, "Money doesn't matter." Because it shouldn't.

I am not an engineer, I am one of those kids going into the finance world. I am going to Wall Street to be a banker at one of the top banks on the street. I cannot tell you how many of my classmates apply to be investment bankers like me just because of the "money"! It bothers my to no end!!!!!! That is not why you choose a job or field.

I challenge anyone, and I am sure you have all experienced it, but work a 100+ hour week, getting to work at 8am, and leaving maybe around 2am, including Saturday and Sunday at times. And after that week, still think the money is important?!

You need to love what your doing. I am obsessed with the financial markets, and loved working in leverage finance and being in the middle of a storm this summer, despite the insaneeeeee hours. But the interns that did it for the money were sifted out fast.

Its the same in any industry, any job, and I think young kids like myself tend to ignore the truth, but you need to love what you're doing. You may get a great starting salary, but without passion you will be at that salary for 50 years. You will rise faster and go farther in a career you love, regardless of the intial pay.

Think a more long term, and look more than 2 or 3 years out. Where will you be in 10 years? Will you be happy? Do you have family time?

There is more to it than money.

[John S]

I'll add my .02 in here too if you all dont mind.
I did not have a degree when I got out of the military so I earned my A&P license and went to work for several different FAA repair stations. I made several moves and ended up working as the head of the R&D Department at a Regional Airlines Repair Facility for less then $45k per year. As the market changed and Airlines were being bought and sold I decided to bail out of the airline industry and moved into Industrial Maintenance working on high end machinery. Electrical, hydraulics, pnuematics and mechanical, I learned to do it all. I changed jobs several times and moved up each time but I was never going to be offered the top positions or top salaries.
I earned my Indusrtial Engineering Degree in 1994 at 36 years old and finally landed a nice position as a Maintenance Manager with one of the largest forrest and paper product manufactures in the world. Again due to market changes and an unwillingness to relocate for a third time with the company, I finally got my dream job.

I do not hold an Engineering title with my current Company but I am a Regional Manager for a company in the Radiological Industry. I oversee all the aspects of the operations of 5 facilities dealing with very large amounts of Radioactive material but especially the design, approval and installation of new Irradiators and upgrades to existing Irradiators.
I earn > $100k a year,which is less then our Director of Engineering but at least 30-40% more than eny engineer on his staff. I hardly ever use my IE skills but never really had the math skills for an ME or EE. The #1 thing that has helped me to get to where I am now is all my practical skill and knowlege. I love working on things, both electricaly and mechanicaly and it was that desire (slightly redirected) that helped me to excell to where I am now.

Figure out what you LOVE to do, then decide how to get the most out of that. Just remember, an Engineering degree may not be the right answer, but you will have to figure that one out.
Good Luck in whatever you decide.