whats the diffrence between an electrical engineering degree and an electrical engineering technology degree?

Question

at devry university they offer electrical engineering technology not electrical engineering. I was also told that the make diffrent amounts of money is that true?

the degree is a BS not a 2 year degree

Answer 1

An EET (Electrical Engineering Technology) degree used to be a two year associate degree.

An EE degree is a four year BS program.

Some schools now-a-days offer a four year EET degree. I've been told (by the people who have taken it), that an EET BS degree requires fewer theoretical courses (I.E. less physics) than a traditional EE degree, but more liberal arts classes.

+++++edit++++

Yes, EETs are technicians, not Electrical Engineers, so they usually make less money than engineers.

Answer 2

I think there are several definitions. The 2 year degree that places like DeVry offer are certainly different than the 4 year EET degree that I worked hard for some 30 years ago. Math requirements were relaxed a little, but the main reason I went for the EET program was that it included a lot more disciplines than the straight EE program. In addition to the normal electronics courses we needed to be fluent in materials, mechanics, etc. We also got a lot more "real" labs where we really had to dig in and get our hands dirty. We DEFINITELY did not get into liberal arts......

In my current job I end up tutoring a lot of EE senior project students who are good at writing software or coming up with a concept of what they want to do, but absolutely hit a brick wall when they need to design or build something out of real hardware.

Answer 3

One of my brothers is an electrical engineer. He made straight A's in H.S., and all through college. He first got a BS in Biology at a prestigious univ. Later, for some reason, he got another BS, in Electrical Eng....he has since then received a MA, and working on a PHD. He is brilliant at math, physics. etc. Currently, he works for a large firm in Boulder, CO - and the Company sends him all over the world, and he is raking in alot of money. - I am not sure what he does exactly, but he can choose the employees he wants to hire and fire. I know nothing about EE. ---But for me....my first major wz Metallurgical Engineering. It wz interesting, but too cut and dry. I changed my major to pscyhology and received a BA, and then in Film/Communications. - This kept me in school longer. May have been a mistake money wise. -
To answer you question, the difference is theory, math, and physics. - My brother did say one thing - electricians do pretty good - and as far as devry, I would believe that it is what you do w/ it. - But, overall, a BS in EE is considered cream of the crop.

Answer 4

Yes. A 'technology' degree can be had for the price of the program (if you have good attendance). But a 'real' BSc in Electrical Engineering requires that you actually have to learn something about the subject.


Doug

Answer 5

All previous answers look pretty good are basically correct.

The politically incorrect answer is that those who are smart enough to accomplish it get an electrical engineering degree. Those who are not quite smart enough get the engineering technology degree.

So yes, there is a big difference in the amount of money paid to each.

Answer 6

Often it has to do with the differences in the levels of mathematics and underlying theory (physics and chemistry for example) taught as part of the curriculum.

I can't say for sure about the DeVry program in this regard, but my boss graduated from DeVry in the 1980's and is a very accomplished engineer -- he probably doesn't want me to drop his name so I won't, but believe me if you follow engineering you would definitely recognise his name and the names of the companies he has founded.

There are many different specialties in the EE world, and knowing what it is that you want to do will help you focus. If you want to design the chips themselves, you obviously need a lot of chemistry and a good bit of physics background because you are dealing with the chemical and physical properties of the silicon itself. If you want to specialise in radio type communications, the chemistry isn't going to do much at all for you but the physics is essential. If you want to work in robotics, then classical (Newtonian) physics, mechanical engineering, and mathematics are all very important but the chemistry and more advanced physics is not as much so unless you want to work with robotics in those fields. These are just a few examples of the specialties available in the EE field -- organizations like IEEE can help you learn more about these fields.

FWIW, the very best Engineers I have worked with all had strong physics and mathematics backgrounds -- the very best one was originally a nuclear weapons designer, and he saw the entire world through the eyes of nuclear processes and mathematical models, which was the perfect way to view circuits. But I have been very succesfull myself with a more vocational education, having started in the local Community College (ASEE and ASCS) and then gone through the Navy's Advanced Electronics Field schools, finally taking more mathematics and theory clases from the local University extension. And like I said, my boss is a DeVry graduate and EXTREMELY succesful -- so it is at least as much a matter of your own drive and ambition and natural talent as it is where you get your training.

My advice would be if you are looking into a program such as DeVry, talk both with the instructors AND recent and not-so-recent graduates to find out what the program prepares you for and what it does not. And you may want to ask employers in your area what THEY think of the various programs you are considering.

Answer 7

When you study Electrical Engineering your goal is to become an engineer. When you study Electrical Engineering Technology your goal is to become a technician. Engineers do, in general, get paid more than technicians.

Answer 8

Engineering = college Technology = Vocational training school. Not in all cases, but you get the idea.

Answer 9

EE degree includes sufficient mathematical relationship in all subjects, but ET doesn't.