I’m a senior in high school and I realize that there is a pretty good chance I change my mind but for right nowI love physics, math, machines, and cars. I think a degree in mechanical engineering and even a masters in automotive engineering (program offered at Clemson (one of my top 2 schools)) would suit me well. But I also don’t know how the job market works for these jobs. Would I be better off pursuing an MBA with a BS in mechanical. I get the perception that unless you’re starting your own company a lot of engineering jobs can make it hard to move up in a company and earn a higher salary, I feel like an MBA would help this. I appreciate any insight and advice, feel free to call me crazy. Thanks!
I have a couple comments:
[ol]
[li]Don’t go into college assuming you will get a graduate degree. It’s great to have goals and great to plan ahead, but don’t put all of your eggs in the graduate degree basket just yet. You have no idea how much you will end up liking the field, nor whether your grades will support going to graduate school, nor whether you would even want to do so 4 years from now. You may simply be burnt out on school by then. I would suggest choosing a course of study that will set you up for the sort of jobs you think you might like even if you only get a BS.[/li]
[li]Personally, I would avoid automotive engineering. There isn’t anything they do that a mechanical engineer should be equally capable of doing, and a mechanical engineer isn’t as likely to be pigeonholed.[/li]
[li]There is no way to say whether you would be better off with an MBA because they are different career paths. Further, what is the definition of “better off”? That is a pretty subjective term, and the answer really depends on what you value in life and whether you want to take a more technical career path or a more business-oriented career path. That is essentially impossible to predict at this point, so I wouldn’t worry about it this early.[/li]
[li]Define “higher salary”? There are plenty of engineers at companies without MBAs earning lot’s of money.[/li][/ol]
OP: I get the perception that unless you’re starting your own company a lot of engineering jobs can make it hard to move up in a company and earn a higher salary, I feel like an MBA would help this.
I think your perception is not reality. My son, to begin with, started the entry level job as plane designer-engineer with really high compensation, above average. He did because of his incredible records (gpa, research, internships, etc). So, now the airplane company has a plan for him to be future unit/line manager in the next three or four years and such company will send him back to school to get/upgrade his knowledge and skills by pursuing Master degrees (two, dual degrees at USC paid by the company).
So, it is not impossible to get higher salary (even at early stage-entry level job) and move up the corporate ladder with just your only ME undergrad degree. However, you need to have a solid plan for your basic education (bachelor) and experiences to sharpen your skills.
Regarding the graduate school (MBA, Masters of Engineering, etc), you don’t have worry about it until you have landed your entry level job and worked a couple of years to get hands-on experiences. You have to take it step by step and the first step is getting your Bachelor degree with shinning GPA so that you can land a good entry level job.
The auto industry has a few choice schools (I assume Big 3 and probably Honda too) namely Michigan, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin… You see the pattern. Also there’s a lot more to a car these days than mechanical engineering, there’s electronics, fuels & lubricants, etc. The MBA is largely useless as an entry level, and from what I recall from m y Detroit days, most managers do not have an MBA. A Masters in Automotive Engineering would help. Clemson, UT, TAMU, GA Tech would also be a top choice, especially for the South transplants (Alabama, Tennessee, et al). tho they don’t do as much product engineering per se.
My suggestion would be to do well in school, try for internships / co-ops, and get involved with Formula SAE or similar.