<p>is it possible to go from a chem engineer and then go to business school to become a CEO or some other high position.</p>
<p>or should i just become a business major in college?</p>
<p>I know of many people who do this. One of parents' friends was a chemical engineer and after 5 years, he went to get a joint degree in master's ChemE/MBA at MIT. Now he's an associate director at a pharm. company in New Jersey.</p>
<p>Don't major in business - engineering is so much more profitable. My cousin sis from Cornell makes around 65K a year and she works as an investment analyst. Guess what? The school I go to ( The Cooper Union) has engineering grads who do whatever they want. Unlike her, they're not stuck to only doing banking and stuff. They can go and persue R&D, medicine, you name it. A degree from the Cooper union is hot so they can even go to Wall Street and get her same job (even though they are engineers). Trust me, an engineering degree is priceless. Especially if your a chemical or civil engineer. And you don't have to go to MIT or Cal-tech. Go to a decent engineering school - and you'll be in great shape.</p>
<p>ya, many ppl [including some at CC] convinced me that many of the jobs business grads do, engineers also can with an mba..and they are preffered cos of the tough engi trainign n problem solving skills they have....
i had a huge dilemma betweeen chemcial engi and double deg in bussiness n accountancy with a full scholarship for the bizz/acct....i chose engi in the end...</p>
<p>I am going to major in Chemical Engineering at University of Florida. :)</p>
<p>For me, the best thing about this major is its math and science orientation. Also, at University of Florida, there are few courses that must be taken and have nothing to do with this major.
I think that this is one of the best majors for un-well rounded people.</p>
<p>Instead of trying to be good in all types of classes, the students can specialize strictly in one area they are good at, without many other distractions that may slow them down.</p>
<p>I would avoid chemical engineering altoghether. The job markets for both chemical engineering and chemistry can be quite volatile. These days, the market may be slightly better because the price of oil is quite high. But generally, the supply of graduates for exceeds the number of good (manufacturing) jobs available. Other graduates have to take lower paying or sales jobs. </p>
<p>If you are interested in chemical engineering, the truth is there is far better opportunities is mechanical engineering and there are very few jobs the ChE's can do and that ME's cannot. ME is far more flexible degree. If you complete an ME degree, you can probably get a ChE degree in a year or two part-time. </p>
<p>I would stay away from the ChE field altogehter because of very limited career prospects.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The job markets for both chemical engineering and chemistry can be quite volatile. These days, the market may be slightly better because the price of oil is quite high. But generally, the supply of graduates for exceeds the number of good (manufacturing) jobs available. Other graduates have to take lower paying or sales jobs.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's a pretty strong statement, don't you think? Even in 1998, during the oil crash, I remember the average salaries of chemical engineers were still the 2nd highest of any undergraduate degree in the country (2nd only to petroleum engineering). </p>
<p>
[quote]
If you are interested in chemical engineering, the truth is there is far better opportunities is mechanical engineering and there are very few jobs the ChE's can do and that ME's cannot. ME is far more flexible degree. If you complete an ME degree, you can probably get a ChE degree in a year or two part-time. </p>
<p>I would stay away from the ChE field altogehter because of very limited career prospects.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Again, if that's true, then why are the salaries of chemical engineers, both starting and experienced, higher than that of mechanical engineers? Doesn't seem like the career prospects of ChemE's are all that limited. </p>
<p>I completely disagree that ME is a far more flexible degree than is ChE. ChE is basically just ME, but with added classes on chemicals. So basically, a ChE can do anything that a MecE can. Why not? A ChE takes classes on fluids. He takes classes on heat transfer. He takes classes on thermodynamics. </p>
<p>But I ask you again - if mechanical engineering is so much better than ChE in terms of career prospects, then why do chemical engineers make more money, on average? And not just now, but even when the price of oil is low? Why is that?</p>
<p>I read a news article the other day that said one of the students from a good state school graduated with a mechE degree. He could not find a job for the next 6 months. Furthermore, when he finally did get hired (after a friend's help after a long time), the company re-trained him as a civil engineer.</p>
<p>I feel that chemE is more complete than mechE. It teaches you almost all the mechE stuff (fluids, heat transfer, thermo) in addition to a lot of extra chemical courses: mass transfer, materials and balances, chemical dynamics, organic and physical chemistry, etc...</p>
<p>I think both involve different aspects. ChemE is the factory as a whole and macro things and meche is more of the mirco. how things work. THe only thing I don't agree with is whoever said chemE propects are low. Wherever there is a good job for mechE there will be a chemE job as well. They are needed everywhere.</p>
<p>what r some of the harder chem e classes, i.e. themodynamics, chem e lab, fluids, etc.?</p>
<p>Comparing EE with ChemE. What is the job market learning more towards?</p>
<p>Tough to say. I think that the job market is leaning towards EE a bit more, but if the price of oil stays this high for awhile, there will be a boom of work for ChemE's. </p>
<p>The harder chemE classes are clearly chemical thermo (one of the most obtuse classes ever). Reaction Engineering and Kinetics ain't no joke either. And Unit ops (chemE lab) has got to be one of the most tedious courses ever.</p>
<p>A boom of work if oil prices are high?</p>
<p>Is it because chemE's will find incorporate newer power sources like hydrogen fuel cells, etc..?</p>
<p>The biggest haven for chemE's right now is in pharmaceuticals; they mass produce medicines and stuff.</p>