<p>I'm a little confused as I want to choose my engineering major. I have a huge interest in energy. I want my career to be mostly focus on energy in general. But I don't know between chemical and mechanical engineering which one will get me there easily.
I also have a passion for business (Finance and investment). After enough experience in the engineering field I want to get into business. I'll do an MBA of course. Whatever engineering major I do I want it to give me an advantage for a smooth transition into the finance and investment world.</p>
<p>Which major do you think would be suited for that.
Thanks</p>
<p>What type of energy are you interested in? Most of the chemical engineers focusing on energy is working on biofuel researches. Some, but few, are working on fuel cells. Mechanical gives you a broader options. You can focus on wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, etc.</p>
<p>I want to get into energy that’s dominating the market. Right now it’s fossil fuel. But there are researches to get an alternative source of energy… Don’t know how long its goint to take but I want to able to get into any new emerging energy… I would like to have an engineering degree that will give me the background necessary to be versatile in the energy section.</p>
<p>Petroleum engineering is a very difficult position to get in. You need to get into a good school with tons of connection, like those in Texas. It’s not a growing field; if anything I think it’s dying. If you want a engineering degree with tons of energy research option then your best bet is mechanical engineering. It is more versatile than chemical engineering, and I believe they worked with fossil fuel as well.</p>
<p>you want to be involved in research in new emerging energy and also want to be versatile? chemical engineering DEFINITELY</p>
<p>a chemical engineer can get almost every job that a petroleum engineer can get. but the same is not true vice versa… This is no disrespect to petroleum engineers because its a great discipline with excellent career opportunities and its very challenging but i’m speaking from experience…as a chem E who worked in the oilfield for a while with a lot of petroleum engineers…companies think we (chem Es) are a lot more versatile)</p>
<p>@racnna
As a chemical engineer what’s a typical day for you. What do u think about getting an MBA and getting into finance as a chemical engineer with experience?</p>
<p>a typical day? sitting around and doing nothing lol. It really depends. I worked in the oilfield as a field engineer (actually going to oil rigs and using various technologies to maximize oil recovery). It wasn’t my thing. You work in harsh environments for long long hours. the money was really good- but it just wasn’t worth it to me. So I’m going back to school this fall to start my Masters and maybe my Phd. I want a more challenging, research-oriented job in industry and hope to do work on emerging/alternative fuels.</p>
<p>the opportunities are endless with chemical engineering. I have had interviews with all kinds of companies. SOftware companies, finance scompanies.etc. Getting into finance/ any other technical field will not be a problem. If you decide to go with chem E/ pet E as your major, Just make sure you take finance courses as well. </p>
<p>I dont know much about MBAs but definitely work in industry for a while before you consider the MBA. Honestly , you might not need the MBA. Generally what I have heard is that do not get your MBA immediately after undergrad. Work for a while in industry and if you feel you need it then go ahead. The finance companies LOVE engineers. As long as you know about finance and are interested in it- so definitely take a few advanced finance courses in undergrad</p>
<p>Lol try working for a small independent making 200 k per yr with a chemE degree… Not gonna happen. Sure u can work for Xom and make 90 to 100k per yr, but why make less then us PEs are making while doing the same thing?</p>
<p>@j1cregh
I heard that Petroleum engineers don’t really have a social life… That the quality of life isn’t good. The money is good but the life isn’t… At first that was my main major but when I found more abt it, I didn’t really like the lifestyle. Unless you have a different experience u want to share…</p>
<p>U heard wrong. We work in Houston, Denver, Dallas…etc
I leave work at 5 everyday and pull in 200k at 25. life can be bad if u want to work in the sticks, but most pe majors work in major cities</p>
<p>j1cregh 200K is pretty freaking awesome…but i bet you somewhere in the U.S there is a Chem E who is 25, doing the same job as you and making about the same amount…lol i may be wrong though… what specifically do you do? are you a field engineer? Do you work on a rig?</p>
To do this kind of work, (in chemical engineering) does it matter a whole lot where you go to school (I know it does for petroleum) or is it mainly the certification you get?
I think it’s a toss-up between mechanical and chemical. Energy firms hire both ME and ChE majors. My son is a ChE major and has interviewed with petroleum firms, but he is also very interested in energy from sustainable sources. Your choice of college should include a review of where the energy courses lay. Schools that don’t have have ChE or Petroleum courses may include energy courses in the ME curriculum.