<p>I'm considering which STEM field to go for, and I'm interested in engineering. I really like vehicles, so I'll look in that direction. I probably won't choose a discipline until I take intro to engineering, but for now I need something so I can think in terms of likely debt. Grandpa was an aerospace engineer, so for this discussion let's assume that's what I picked. I'm currently in community college, which financial aid covers. After three years, I want to transfer to a UC for two years. Then I have another two years in a graduate program. I'm thinking I'll be at about 35K a year in loans. Then there is interest to factor in. I could be looking at 200K or more. If this was a bachelor's degree, I wouldn't dare. But it's not. It's a master's. Totally different ball game, but I don't know how different, so I can't judge the wisdom of taking on this much debt.</p>
<p>Why don’t you finish your undergrad degree in engineering and work for a couple of years? Live cheaply, pay down some debt, and get some work experience at the same time. You sure don’t need a masters degree to make a good living as an engineer – you may change your mind about grad school.</p>
<p>Huh? I thought you needed a master’s just to get a decent chance at getting hired as an engineer.</p>
<p>Also, one can often get funding for graduate programs in engineering, not so much master’s as PhD, but it is out there, especially if ones employer subsidized graduate study. The option of graduating with a bachelor’s degree, going to work for a couple years, and then getting a master’s degree is a financially prudent decision.</p>
<p>So you wouldn’t qualify for much financial aid at UC, but you do at CC? How will you borrow 35k a year for jr and sr year?</p>
<p>$200K debt is insane.</p>
<p>Grad school should not cost $35K per year. If it does, you should not go.</p>
<p>It’s a matter of what I qualify for. I currently have Pell and BOG. Once I transfer to a UC, it would be Pell and federal loans. I was offered federal loans, but I declined them because I don’t need them for CC. My financial situation isn’t going to improve in college, and I was also offered over 30K in federal loans for an out of state university before I decided to go the CC route, so I should be able to get the loans for a UC. I looked up in state UC tuition a while back, and I must have looked at the wrong thing, because I just checked again and I was way off. Total cost is around 32K a year, not including Pell. UC graduate school is around 4K more than undergraduate. So, without interest it’s 125K after the Pell grant is subtracted. I think the subsidized loan is capped at the same level as the Pell, so with current interest rates taken into account and assuming all federal loans and a 10 year payment plan, total debt is a little over 137K for the master’s.</p>
<p>I thought 35K a year was about average in a master’s program?</p>
<p>I guess another main question is whether I can work with just a bachelor’s.</p>
<p>[Engineering</a> Grads Enjoy Greater Job Prospects - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/2013/03/14/engineering-grads-enjoy-greater-job-prospects]Engineering”>http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/2013/03/14/engineering-grads-enjoy-greater-job-prospects)</p>
<p>Looks from this like a masters gives you about a 10% earnings boost – hardly worth the extra debt. And as was pointed out above, often you can find a funded master’s program or get an employer to pay for it in the STEM fields. </p>
<p>This article matches what I expected to see – engineering is pretty much the most employable bachelor’s degree around. You do not need a masters, and if you want to get one you don’t have to do it right away.</p>
<p>I must be working off of some really bad information. I don’t seem to have anything right here.</p>
<p>Good thing you found CC. 
I am sympathetic, I had similarly bad info on my career choice back when I graduated from college. At least you have the internet now to help you find information!</p>
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<p>Don’t be so hard on yourself. You got one thing right: you’re staying in-state! Wish more of the kids on this forum had that much sense . . .</p>
<p>Depends on what kind of engineering, I guess, but I know from personal experience that an aerospace engineer and a software/systems engineer do not have to start careers with a Master’s. What you would definitely need to have would be co-op/internship experiences so make sure you don’t graduate with that B.S. without having any practical work experience in your intended field with the kind of employer you would like to start your career. Engineers are very pragmatic - what can you do is what they are interested in, and you want to get experience in the real world of engineering before going back into the world of academia, where many of the graduate professors are not even up to date themselves with what is actually happening in the workplace. Once you get working, and have worked for a while, you will know if it makes sense for you to pursue a graduate degree. In aerospace/software/systems engineering, your future employer will likely expect you to get at least a Masters degree eventually. When the time comes, let your employer pay for your Masters. Depending on your expertise, an employer may even pay for you to get a PhD. All of those advanced degrees help these employers win contracts. And you will save yourself tens of thousands of dollars.</p>
<p>Just a note, too, about your credit: a lot of this engineering work can be found at defense companies and if you can keep a clean credit record and qualify for a security clearance, you will find yourself a very valuable commodity - definitely one reason not to get in over your head in debt so that you can keep that credit report pristine.</p>
<p>I’m actually not in state. I’m a resident of Montana, and was going to go to college at the University of Montana (I applied and was accepted), but they wanted me to pay out of state tuition, because while I’d been there over a year, I’d been on a federal facility and didn’t relinquish my Colorado state id until I decided to attend the U of M. Luckily, I went to high school in California, so under AB540 I was granted a non-resident tuition exemption and eligibility for state financial aid.</p>
<p>Chesterton, I like what you’re saying, but I’m not sure I can get a security clearance. I was separated from the US Navy for mental health reasons, and I’m not sure if that is or is not reason to refuse clearance (I have a reentry code that says I can come back if I get a waiver, so they don’t consider me totally crazy).</p>
<p>Well, definitely don’t worry about the security clearance option right now. Since you are already familiar with clearances, you are a step ahead of a lot. Just something to keep in mind. When and if the time comes, it might be worth your time to check into that waiver just to see what your options are, especially since you already have some military experience. But that is something for another day There are plenty of jobs that don’t require a security clearance. Right now, sounds like you have some great plans, I am so glad you can qualify for California in-state tuition - that’s fantastic! - and I wish you the best.</p>
<p>Thanks. Right now I’m looking to get a degree that’ll get me an engineering job. I’ve got community college handled financially, and I can get the loans for the rest, it’s a matter of deciding if I want to do graduate school now or later (an improvement, since I came in thinking I had to do it now).</p>
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<p>Yes, you can.</p>
<p>Go here: <a href=“https://www.careers.calpoly.edu/search.php?yr=2011%20-%202012[/url]”>https://www.careers.calpoly.edu/search.php?yr=2011%20-%202012</a></p>
<p>Select aerospace engineering (or whatever other engineering is of interest) for the major, and undergraduate for the level.</p>
<p>If you actually have California residency, you may be able to get significant financial aid at the state universities, resulting in a net price less than $35,000 per year. Check their net price calculators.</p>
<p>Also, use [Welcome</a> to ASSIST](<a href=“http://www.assist.org%5DWelcome”>http://www.assist.org) to plan your courses at CC to transfer to your target UC and CSU and major.</p>