What area of engineering should I concentrate in?

Question

What area would provide the best chance to find a good job? Make the most money? Travel the world?

Answer 1

If you want to travel the world: Petroleum Engineering- as long as the price of oil is above $50/barrel, you will be in demand and get to see the world. The highest paid engineers used to be Petroleum Engineers.

But, if the price of oil drops, you will be out of a job faster than you can draft a resume.

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Best Versatile Engineers? Mechanical or Civil.

If you are a ME and work for the right company, you can still travel around alot.

Good Luck.

If you really want to rake in the dough, go into Civil Engineering (with emphasis on land, environment, design and regulatory compliance) and then go into law school. As a top lawyer, you will bring in 5X+ what a good PE makes. Then you can retire young and see the world at your own leisure while the PE works to death.

Answer 2

I agree that probably electrical will get you the best salary. As far as travel, that really has to do with the company who employs you. If you get a job working for a small engineering company whose main clients are local pharmaceutical or utility companies, you won't be doing much travel.

My advice is not to be that driven by the paycheck. You have to like what you are doing. It's even better if you love it. Few things are worse than having to drag your butt to a job you hate, no matter how good the pay is. You are going to have your career for a LONG time, so you will go crazy if you can't stand it.

Get into engineering school first. Most freshman year engineering curricula have a course that introduce you to what the different disciplines do. See what is the most interesting to you. I am a civil engineer, we are probably the lowest paid of all the disciplines. Yet, I don't think I'd rather be doing electrical work.

Answer 3

Electrical Engineering

Answer 4

I say you should concentrate in whatever area interests you the most. As you specialize, it really sucks if you're taking 6-7 courses a semester of stuff you don't like! I'd suggest going to an engineering open house at college/university nearby to get an idea of what the different disciplines do, or if you're already in engineering, ask some third and fourth years what they like about their field. If you're just in it for the money it's a lot harder to motivate yourself to go to class and stuff.
If you really want money, go for petrochemical, oil and gas is like money and money.

Answer 5

My brother-in-law has a degree in electrical engineering. He works for the government and does a lot of traveling around the world. He also is a licensed electrician so that is also a plus in his favor as he can put what he designs to practical use.

Answer 6

I am around engineers all the time. Mechanical engineers are always going to places in africa, mechanical are always usually around the U.S. electrical doesn't go anywhere often. Chemical engineers travel all over. They all make about the same depending on where you work. There is a shortage of chemical and electrical though.

Answer 7

I would try to see if they will let you wait a year before you declare your engineering major. All of the engineering disciplines take the same stuff the first year anyway (Calculus, Physics, etc.).

Electrical engineering is your best bet for salary, but it's also the hardest.

Answer 8

Electrical Engineering would be your best bet. My friend, Matt, graduated with an electrical engineering degree and is making $75,000/yr to start. He travels all the time, too.

Answer 9

I was in Engineering in IBM and moved into sales.

The Engineers make chump change compared to the sales guys.

Answer 10

Surveying. Its a great job and while I was drafting and assisting a surveyor I learned a lot of very useful things.