<p>Absolutely despicable, you are so diluted and frankly misinformed you are going to fall flat on your face.</p>
<p>I am a Chem E with an MBA and the reality is that companies want a 5-6 year experienced engineer with a 60-80k/yr salary window. If you fall in that you'll have lateral mobility throughout all industries.</p>
<p>Above that, a Dickhead MBA is despised and if you have any sense of self awareness, you'll be ashamed to even to admit to having one.</p>
<p>The six figure jobs come after you have a good base of knowledge as well as a specialty that is sought after (market driven). But you'll find after you get going along in your path you have to avoid one pigeon hole after another. If you end up in a six figure job your lucky.</p>
<p>You had better formulate a better strategy for success than just acquiring a bunch of sheepskin degrees. The folks in industry will see right through you and will make it a point to trip you right on your face.</p>
<p>I registered for this sight just to give you a dose of reality. Wake up man.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Above that, a Dickhead MBA is despised and if you have any sense of self awareness, you'll be ashamed to even to admit to having one.
[/quote]
I disagree with this. I know many engineers who have gotten their MBA's in order to advance in a company. In fact, many companies pay for their employees to get an MBA. It is a good path for those interested in management in a technical company.</p>
<p>I do agree, however, that a salary of $150K+ is not likely until you gain experience and prove yourself.</p>
<p>
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You had better formulate a better strategy for success than just acquiring a bunch of sheepskin degrees. The folks in industry will see right through you and will make it a point to trip you right on your face.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Why does it seem every "veteran" to the industry despises young students that plan to acquire a masters or higher?</p>
<p>I am gonna steer clear of the MBA part of the discussion, but I wanted to answer your law question. I am an EE applying to law school right now, so I have done some research on the subject. If your only goal is easy wealth, I would look elsewhere. There are both better ways to make money and easier jobs.</p>
<p>That said, look into it. If it ain't for you, at least you investigated. Patent lawyers (which is what everyone always thinks I want to be) are in high demand now, and with a engineering undergrad degree you would be well on your way.</p>
<p>mrcrowley, I have similar interests as you. I am extremely passionate about learning EE, but my one true passion is business. I have interned with a couple companies and have family in top positions (CEO) of start-ups as well as established enterprises. It seems as though you're interested in big bucks, and I personally believe the best way to go is to become an entrepreneur. Go to an undergraduate engineering program, learn a skill set, graduate, come up with a brilliant idea, make it happen. Granted, it's extremely difficult to succeed, but those that do, are HIGHLY rewarded. You seem to be ambitious and willing to work hard, so if you have business common sense, I think it can work out.</p>
<p>ok. i'm gonna jump in here. my goal is to a phd in aerospace engineering and work for a while, coming back in a few years for my mba. would a phd in engineering+mba make for an even hire salary? does that even sound like a realistic plan?
my goal is to work for one of the defense giants like boeing or lockheed martin. o yeah... and alternate days driving my vette and shelby gt.</p>
<p>There is no such thing as a rich engineer.
An MBA wouldn't matter in Engineering.
The best way to get paid more is to say at the company a long time.</p>
<p>Look, the only way to make "money" as an engineer is to invent something, become involved in a sucessful startup or stick with a company long enough and play through the politics to become an executive. You could work as a contractor but you'll be treated like crap and engineering consultant companies require years of experience. </p>
<p>It sucks. </p>
<p>If you want more money (>150-200k), you should look into a financial services, business or law profession. Luckily, undergraduate engineers are recruited by all of these fields.</p>
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my goal is to a phd in aerospace engineering
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</p>
<p>Anyone who is considering a PhD needs to ask themselves WHY they want a PhD. </p>
<p>Is it for money?
A PhD won't help your salary prospects and you would of been better of with a B.S</p>
<p>Is it to be "qualified"?
Unless you want an R&D job or be a professor, you typically won't need a PhD.</p>
<p>ExploreCY, you need to ask yourself WHY you want to get all of those degrees. What is you ultimate career goal?</p>
<p>At the end of the day, if you don't find your job interesting, the money really won't matter at all.</p>
<p>^^^ my GOAL is to be a leader in the skunkworks division of lockheed martin, making technological leaps in aircraft that wont be seen by anyone without a security clearance for 20 years. and i think more than an bs would definitely be necessary for such a position.</p>
<p>
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my GOAL is to be a leader in the skunkworks division of lockheed martin, making technological leaps in aircraft that wont be seen by anyone without a security clearance for 20 years. and i think more than an bs would definitely be necessary for such a position.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Ok, there you go. thats a damn good reason. I don't know much about Skunkworks but if they typically require a PhD, then that is a good reason to go after it. </p>
<p>I just don't want anyone to think that collecting degrees automatically is an instant ticket for sucess.</p>
<p>For a good financial future I strongly suggest getting an undergrad in Engr.(not an MS or you can become limited due to expertise and being too focused), waiting 3-5 years, then going to a top MBA program. Top MBA programs will not even consider someone just out of school. With a top MBA in hand they expect you to obtain a high level position once finished and this cannot happen with no work experience.<br>
Before doing the MBA research the programs and do well on the GMAT. It is very interesting to see the variance in starting salary for an MBA depending on what school is attended-google it. Salary upon graduation varies from no change expected upon graduation(no ranked school) to 150K starting out of Yale. Add an Engr. degree and you are likely to have an extra 20%. Realistically, a good engineering degree, good resume and top 50 MBA will have you in the $120K around 30 yrs of age brinking upon executive level where salaries go up at a much higher rate and could be VP for decent sized firm at 40 pulling down $250K. Remember lastly, if you want to do a top MBA and get bang for the buck, expect to move where there are top jobs- DC, Southern CAl, NYC, etc.</p>
<p>For a good financial future I strongly suggest getting an undergrad in Engr.(not an MS or you can become limited due to expertise and being too focused), waiting 3-5 years, then going to a top MBA program. Top MBA programs will not even consider someone just out of school. With a top MBA in hand they expect you to obtain a high level position once finished and this cannot happen with no work experience.
Before doing the MBA research the programs and do well on the GMAT. It is very interesting to see the variance in starting salary for an MBA depending on what school is attended-google it. Salary upon graduation varies from no change expected upon graduation(no ranked school) to 150K starting out of Yale. Add an Engr. degree and you are likely to have an extra 20%. Realistically, a good engineering degree, good resume and top 50 MBA will have you in the $120K around 30 yrs of age brinking upon executive level where salaries go up at a much higher rate and could be VP for decent sized firm at 40 pulling down $250K. Remember lastly, if you want to do a top MBA and get bang for the buck, expect to move where there are top jobs- DC, Southern CAl, NYC, etc.</p>
<p>If your workplace will sponsor your attendance at a local MBA program (and it's a decent program, not a tier-3 B-school), then that's another route.</p>
<p>Bear in mind the tradeoffs - a part-time MBA program (through your employer) gives you different (less) exposure to new contacts, and ties you down to your employer for 3-4 years.</p>
<p>On the other hand, you're not paying for it. In the current and (immediate future) US economy, I would no longer assume anything is certain. Look at the layoffs that have hit associates at biglaw firms, the destruction of the investment banking sector, and more to come next year as more and more sectors are tangentially affected by the slowing economy.</p>
<p>I'm currently an undergrad at Purdue in computer engineering.</p>
<p>Which would open up more doors for me, and help me attain financial success (I know other things are more important) more quickly? Getting a masters in business or in engineering?</p>
<p>Also if I was to get a masters degree, would it be more beneficial to get it at right after my bachelors or to get employed and then...go with the flow.</p>
<p>My parents live in Newport Coast, so for grad school I would most likely attend UC Irvine.</p>
<p>Most of the Skunkworks guys have masters at best from what I have heard. They gain their expertise from their experience working in the industry, not from getting high level degrees like a PhD. You should seriously reconsider spending all that time getting a PhD. Do you honestly think that you would be marketable to a company at age 28 (assuming 4 years for BS, 2 years for MS and 4 years for PhD) with little or no work experience? A degree only prepares you for working in the industry. The real learning takes place when you actually start applying what you learned in the real world...</p>
<p>A lot of people on this board have unrealistically high expectations for compensation. Not a lot of engineers break 6 figures, and if they do its usually in the last couple years of their careers. Sure, an MBA will help you get into the corporate rat race, but even then, the odds are against you. People seem to think that companies are willing to throw a 6 figure salary at anyone with the right degrees and a pulse. The purpose of corporations is to make money, and in that process they have to keep employee compensation at a reasonable level. 6 figure incomes are not as common as you may believe, and I think a lot of you are headed for a world of disappointment. There is more to life than money...get your heads out of your *****.</p>
<p>The real question is, what do you want to do for the rest of your life? Do you want to do engineering or do you want to move into a more business oriented position? Would you rather further your engineering education or branch into something else? Don't let "financial success" rule your life. Those who strive for money in life will not find themselves any happier in the end.</p>
<p>MPC, graduate school isn't everything in engineering. You should go to graduate school and get an MS because you want to learn more about a specific area of your discipline. Similarly, you should get an MBA because you want to move into management. Thinking about money is only going to ensure that you make the wrong decision.</p>
<p>Perhaps when you graduate you could work for a few years (i.e 3-5) and then decide if you want an MS or MBA. Then you will know that it was the right decision.</p>
<p>An advanced degree does not guarantee financial success. Both my parents are engineers; my mom has a MS and my dad has a BS, yet he makes more than double she does.</p>
<p>I think the cool thing about engineering is that you get paid well no matter what. Of course, "well" is a relative term, but what I mean is that no one's going to sleep hungry with an engineering degree. Ever.</p>
<p>So the advantage of this is that you can focus on things other than money. An MBA is a good degree to get if it takes you where you want to be (ie: don't do it for the money). First get where you want to be, and then worry about money... believe me, its much easier that way. Also, don't disregard advanced degrees because they are not a financially sound decision. I know more people that are "unhappy" with undergraduate degrees than with graduate degrees. This doesn't say anything about how rich either one is, but people with graduate degrees tend to find themselves in places where they love being. And the money just follows.</p>