You seem determined to take out that debt and have dismissed all advice to the contrary. Go ahead and do it! Let us know in a few years how it turns out.
Not financially.
Never buy into your school’s marketing blurb. No matter the school.
Georgia Tech has very reasonably-price master’s degrees–$10,000!
Most of the posters are pretty unanimous that they do NOT think the amount you’re proposing is worth it, especially since you have other good options. There are folks who are working with a bachelor’s degree in engineering that are earning more than the master’s degree prices you are quoting, as well as many kids with bachelor’s and master’s degrees who are unemployed or have jobs not in their fields.
Don’t get hung up with a top 20 (or whatever) school. They are good and will sometimes open doors for you but at what cost? I have worked in aerospace engineering for over 40 years (34 with one of the large aerospace companies that you’d easily recognize the name if I told you). The middle years of my career I was in management but the role of managers were changing in the company to something I found incredibly boring, so I opted out. I then worked directly for the chief engineer and had the most fun with the job that I ever had. All kinds of little projects, totally new stuff, research project, etc.
Anyways, the point of all this is that I worked with engineers from just about any college you could name. Some of MIT and Caltech grads I worked with were fantastic engineers others more toward the bottom of the pack. There were many fantastic engineers from definitely not top 20 colleges. It all depends on the person. What is their motivation, how do they approach the job? I went to MIT and the best thing I got out of it was the ability to learn new things. I guess that about 90% of my engineering skills, I learned on the job. Skills that went way beyond what I studied in college.
My advice is to really apply yourself and learn the “why” and learn to learn and you’ll do fine no matter where you go to college.
Another thing to remember is that it is the top students at the top schools that do the best. If you go to Clemson you may have better chance to be a big fish in a small(ish) pond. If the funded research option is an area of interest, then I so go for it.
How long will it take you to repay that? Thats a boatload of debt. I’d vote no.
No, in order to be promoted, you need to be a good engineer. Seriously, in the world of engineering, particularly in industry, it doesn’t matter where you graduated from as long as it was an accredited program. What matters are your actual skills, how well you can apply them to real problems, and your ability to learn new skills. The name of your school won’t make a lick of difference if you don’t have the skills to actually do the work.
To be promoted as an engineering manager, you need a good understanding of the technical aspect of the work and you need to be good at managing. To be promoted as a manager in general, you need to be good at managing. Again, the name of your school isn’t all that important, and becomes less important as time goes on after your first job.
Thanks everyone. I am very hesitant to take out those loans now. What do you think about going to somewhere much cheaper like VaTech for around 50k in debt? I just don’t think Clemson adds anything for me because remember I am pursuing a masters outside my undergrad study and need to “brand” myself. My Undergrad was from a state school that was somewhere around Clemson rank.
Caleb, get over yourself.
If a “brand” is worth that price to you, then pay it. Lord help the engineers who will someday work for or around you.
Why are you ignoring every bit of advice about finding a funding source? If you play your cards right, engineering graduate school should be free.
I don’t think $110K debt (or even %50K) is wise. But also I’m nos sure you could take that kind of loan without parent cosigner .
Caleb - what is your ultimate goal here?
A graduate degree from a top 10 school and then benefit from the associated prestige?
or
A opportunity to do graduate work, learn something, earn a masters, and build a career?
Two very different views of the world, and very different goals.
@boneh3ad But I have applied for a non-thesis program to UMich. How would I possibly get funding?
@DecideSomeHow I would say I am somebody who desires to be a CEO and perhaps get into politics. I think prestige, in this case, is very important. But what do you think?
My question would then be why did you apply for the non-thesis route? That’s a much more popular route for people who’s employers are paying because it means they can more easily work full time while going to school, so for them, it’s free anyway.
I’m not sure I can answer the question for you. The CEO of my company has an engineering degree from Mizzou. Paper isn’t everything.
Go Tigers! MIZ…ZOU! 
Boooooooooooooo!
:(( :(( :((
" I am somebody who desires to be a CEO and perhaps get into politics" - Can you explain again why you think Masters in Engineering will be worthwhile?