<p>I've talked to my dad about pursuing a career in engineering. He was a former engineer, and still keeps up with developments. He says that technology/engineering has advanced so much that engineers with BS degrees usually perform technician type roles now.</p>
<p>Is this true? Do most engineers with a BS degree work in technician type positions, and is a MS needed for areas like development?</p>
<p>As I understand it, experience is whats important. The masters degree will help move things along more quickly, but its not more important than experience.</p>
<p>And even without experience I don’t think you’ll work a true technician style job. Technicians work those jobs, you’ll just be starting with a less vital position than an engineer with experience.</p>
<p>Internships are key.</p>
<p>No, it’s not true. In both companies where I’ve interned, there’s no difference at all in the positions or salaries of newly hired BS or MS engineers. In fact, at one company, they even used the term “BS/MS Engineers” to designate them in a group as a whole.
Engineering PhDs are a little different.</p>
<p>It is not true, but it does hint at truth. At many or most companies, those with just a BS degree will start at a lower pay level (often $10-15k less), and will have difficulty entering certain specific roles. For example, my company has 6 pay grades of engineer, BS holders enter at grade 1, MS holders at grade 2. Several design departments in my company will consider only a few of the most exceptional BS holders, generally requiring the MS or PhD. At the same time, the BS holders we DO hire still do engineering work, NOT technician work.</p>
<p>Regardless, after a few years things tend to even out - a few years of experience can easily put you in a place comparable to the MS.</p>
<p>^ So basically, you can either start with a BS and be paid an engineer’s salary to work your way up to grade 2, or you can spend money on tuition to start at grade 2?</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses.</p>
<p>@Medwell - If you can get an assistantship for grad school, you could get a tuition waiver, plus a small salary – no additional debt. It seems as though that it’s becoming a big “IF,” however, at least at the master’s level.</p>
<p>Suspect your father and I graduated around the same time. At that time it was common to have non-degreed engineers in the work force. Basically highly trained technicians with relevant work experience working side-by-side with entry level engineers. Same responsibility. Same pay. Most of these guys had excellent military training (remember the Cold War from history class?), and were by far more capable than newly minted engineers. Over time, however, the engineering degree favored the entry level engineers.</p>
<p>In my experience a non-degreed engineer today is an extreme exception. However, given we’ve been engaged in two wars for nearly a decade, I suspect there are a large number of very talented technicians that could easily equal a new BS engineer with no relevant work experience. I hope hiring managers in the engineering fields will recognize this when they return. </p>
<p>My point is, the degree (or training) is important. More important is the opportunity through internships/co-ops/real life experience putting that learning to practical use is what will set you apart from the competition. </p>
<p>So if you’re in an engineering discipline make every opportunity to get real world experience before you graduate.</p>
<p>It depends on the company and the applicants they get. It’s true in many cases that a BS plus a couple years experience will make as much as a MS with no experience.</p>
<p>In general, though, an engineer with a BS and a little experience very possibly is still working at the company in which he or she has experience.</p>
<p>In an applicant pool with inexperienced BS’s and inexperienced MS’s, I’d imagine the latter would have an advantage.</p>
<p>I would recommend waiting until you start getting offers before you think about grad school. Who knows, you could get an amazing offer that essentially makes the decision for you, or terrible/no offers that will sway you to grad school.</p>
<p>Personally, I’m a bit shocked at what I’m hearing here. I’m no engineering major so this probably is not a smart move posting here since I might be mercilessly made fun of. </p>
<p>I’m NOT an engineering major but my Dad is. I would intuitively think that an MS in engineering would make you FAR more marketable than only having only a BS in engineering. My Dad has a BS in engineering an says he will always regret not pursuing an MS. His colleagues say the same thing. I don’t know why they are saying this but it makes me think that they’ve reached some sort of “glass ceiling” in which had they obtained an MS they would’ve cruised by. </p>
<p>Furthermore, my roommate is a structural engineer and he says an MS is absolutely essential and you could severely damage your career by never obtaining one. He also says that an MS might be required in the future for those that wish to pursue professional licensure in the field of structural engineering. </p>
<p>Yes experience in industry w/ certain projects and software is obviously important but the bottom line is that everyone who has a job obtains experience. So experience is marketable but does not necessarily make you competitive since ALL your colleagues are obtaining experience with you. An MS, on the other hand, shows that you have an advanced skillset (obtained through a research thesis and advanced coursework) that only a select few have obtained. This immediately separates you from the pack a bit. I’m no engineering student but I’m well aware of the attrition rate in your majors (so congrats for surviving!) and I cannot imagine much student that are capable of getting into grad school (3.0 is the formal cutoff and 3.2-ish is the real cutoff). Therefore, with only a small percentage of engineering students capable of being admitted into grad school, I would guess than an MS would be VERY impressive. </p>
<p>Finally, I hope you guys are aware of the outsourcing of your profession. If I were you I would define an MS as the minimum if I want to remain competitive. I mean, for only 2 extra years you obtain a credential that not much others have - especially overseas. </p>
<p>In summary, I previously thought of a MS in engineering as a silver bullet that can always be used. A BS is a dime a dozen, an MS is not (read above - the attrition rate and low engineering GPA PROVE that an MS is obtained only by a mere few) and unlike a PhD which sets you up for a career in research, many masters programs in engineering are oriented towards industry also. Based on the above posts, I’m wrong for thinking this. Either way, I’m officially interested in this conversation and hope to hear some responses.</p>
<p>@Medwell - yes. If you go straight for the MS you pay a definite opportunity cost in lost salary, and probably a tuition cost as well. Initially this does not make the MS a good bet, but a MS does improve your promotion prospects for a number of reasons.</p>
<p>@Redwing - I started out as a technician before I got my degree, and I have seen much of what you have as well. I always chuckle at new engineers who think they can do without the technicians, but at the same time even the most experienced technicians are very limited in scope - essentially, they are two different jobs with some overlap.</p>
<p>@Iam… - Most engineers do not start with an MS, but most (in my experience) get one within their first decade on the job. It is not required, but the additional education (especially if there was a thesis) really help - few BS-only engineers advance to the top echelons of my company.</p>