Hi, I’m 24 and doing ok but thinking of going back to school for engineering. I’m really out of the loop and also don’t frequent this forum so my apologies if I posted this in the wrong place.
I was wondering if the location of where I go to school affects what jobs I’ll be able to get once I get the degree. I’m talking more like decent regional schools not the Stanford’s etc. Say I go to school somewhere like Houston as I currently live in Texas, but I want to move back west eventually- is this going to be a struggle? Is it better to move and go to school in the area I want to be if it’s not a top of the line university?
Location can matter. Speaking from personal experience, if you apply for a job out of state, you’re competing against locals, which are generally less risky for an employer to hire. If you’re already in Texas, you have the advantage of in-state tuition. If you’re working, a lot of employers will pay for your master’s degree. If you move west, then you’re paying triple the cost for out of state tuition.
Here’s my recommendation. I would stay in Texas for now and work on a master’s degree. If you can work full time and get the degree part time, that would be ideal. This gives you the advantage of gaining work experience and a master’s degree. That would give you additional weapons to use in a job interview out west.
One last piece of advice. You’re from Texas and it’s a cheaper place to live. Employers in California are going to try to lowball your salary. Make sure you research the the market salary for the job in the area.