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Which degree would be better? Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology?

Electrical Engineering, Engineering Technology, or no degree?

  • I'm 26, married, 2 kids. I work in a manufacturing plant doing electrical maintenance on production machines. I got this job because of related experience in the Navy. During the course of working here for the past 3 years I have gotten lots of experience with PLCs, motor controls (VFDs), and machine control circuits. I make about 60K/year (gross) but I have to work 60-70hrs/weeks to make that. I have been planning quit my job to go to college in the fall. Community college for 1 year, then finish at the university with an undergraduate in Electrical Engineering. Recently I spoke with an old salty technician. He urged me to get a 2 year Engineering technology degree instead of a 4 year engineering degree. He said that's what he did, and he makes about 150k/year working 50-60hrs/week (but he has 30 years of experience too). He said that engineers are paid poorly considering how much school they have to go through. He said that the engineering field is mostly moving overseas where labor is cheaper, so the job market for engineers is flooded in America so wages for engineers are low. He said most companies keep a few old engineers around that have been engineering for a few decades and aren't really looking for fresh new American engineers. He said that while engineering is largely going away, there will always be a need for people who know how to fix things, and currently companies can't find good technicians who can be counted on to fix machines, so good technicians can easily make way more money that decent engineers. What he said makes sense, but it makes me wonder now if I really need the degree, or if I can just go out and get a better paying job with the experience that I already have. So, do you agree with the things that he said? Do you think I should go for Electrical Engineering, Engineering Technology, or simply start looking for a new job? Thanks

  • Answer:

    Having been there and done that, I would agree 100% with the old salty technician. If you quit your job to get a degree you will put yourself and your family through a very difficult period and the payback will probably be below your expectations. Try to get your ET on a part time program while holding your present, or a better, job. Also, try to get into a union. Union jobs in NYC pay almost twice as much as a PE jobs, when you add benefits. Engineering is a dead end career.

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Your technician is sort of right, I would substitute "some companies" for "most companies". My company has had many of its older workers, including engineers, retire and they had to develop a succession plan to make sure the company can remain staffed. The recession has set this back somewhat, due to the economy fewer older workers have retired, but the principle is still the same. My company is an electric utility, you can't export that. Utilities and related industries employ huge numbers of engineers. The one thing you haven't mentioned is what kind of work do you like to do? Engineering is different kind of work than working with your hands maintaining equipment. And going to any school will help to increase your employment chances. The "low" wages for engineers will be higher than what you doing now, especially after you get more experience in your industry. One more thing, do you need to quit your job? Can you arrange to work fewer hours so you can go to school? Some colleges, particularly community or 2 year colleges have night schools and sometimes employers will even pay for all or part of the cost. That way you could get a taste of what it is like and see if you want to go full time or not. Having a job right now is golden, there are graduates that are going begging due to the economy. And credits you earn will probably count toward a 4 year degree if you want to go that route, but you should check to be sure.

oeman50

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