mechanical engineer or automotive technician?

Question

I am trying to decide if or not to go to college for a bachelors in engineering or attend a 2 year technical school to be a specialized automotive tuner or a technician. I love to work on engines but also like to design new power punching parts for them. I could go either way but am leaning towards the automotive technician because the pay is pretty good and I know its better in engineering but I like physical work more than mental. My dad is pushing enginnering on me but I want to live my own life. I feel that he is pushing me beyond my capabilities. I want to get out into the world and make some money because I've already gone to school for 13 years.

Answer 1

In the short term automotive technician would be fun and some good hands on work. However, in the longer run getting a college degree would be most beneficial.

Since i was bored and interested myself I went through a general example....

From what i could look up on the internet automotive technicians earned between $10.75 to $20.75 a pretty huge difference i guess depending on location and what types of auto work you'll be doing. Assume an average pay of $16 per hour or annual salary of $33,280. Not sure how much a technical skills program costs but let's assume a total of $800 per semester so a total 2 years would cost $3,200.

An entry level mechanical engineer with a Bachelors degree today earns a national average of about $52,000. However, the cost for the 4 year degree would run you anywhere from $22,000 ~ $26,000 if you attended a state school.

Bottom Line: In 10 years when you're about 28 years old. Automotive technician you would start working at 20 yrs old. $33,280 x 8 yrs working = $266,240 (minus taxes)

Mechanical engineer you would start working at age 22 or 23. $52,000 x 6 yrs working = $312,000 (minus taxes)

If you plan to be married and have kids by 28 the degree would give you more financial security and working at a company is good healthcare benefits for you and the family. For simplifications I didn't account for raises promotions etc...but after 5 yrs of working as an engineer you could expect to move up with yearly raises and should make $75~$90k after 5 yrs experience. You'd have to study a lot and make sure you graduate with a pretty good GPA to find a good position at a good company.

I'm an engineer myself and realistically most engineers will be in an office setting in front of a computer...I can't complain but sometimes I think it would have been more fun to do something more hands on like an automotive tech. If you have talent for working on cars you should pursue your passions. After some years of experience and saving money maybe you can open up a garage of your own.

Answer 2

to be a engineer u will need a 4 year college to get a bachelor degree and once u graduate u could be hired, depends on your grades and job experiences (like internship at a engineering company) and with a bachelor degree you will start off as a junior engineer which make 50, 000 a year more or less. depends on your skills. the pro is that u will be making a lot more than a regular auto technician 38,000 but the con is can u effort the college and will u be able to keep a good grades. to be a auto technician you can take college courses which would be like a 2 year program and graduate with a associate degree and work is shops or u can take programs in schools like: Wyo-Tech, or Universal Technical Institute. They are strictly auto technician training school no English or math classes which is mandatory for an associate degree. in UTI there are a few programs for diesel, NASCAR, motorcycle, auto, collision repair, and manufacturer. each program has different length form 10 weeks to 81 weeks i would suggest u to take the 51 weeks automotive program and then get a manufacturer training for what ever the manufacturer you want to work for (Audi, BMW, jaguar, international ITEP, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, and Volvo) after the training u will be able to work in a dealer or u can get more education and go up higher. the pro for an auto technician is you will be grantee to have a job spend less time on education and start working right after graduation the con is you get paid less For both jobs' future outlook is pretty good because they are always short of people. its just depends on which one do u like to do the most as a career

Answer 3

Why not compromise and do both? What I'm saying is do the tech school first so you can go out and get a job sooner, but then take night courses in engineering to get your degree. It will take longer, but later in life you'll have more options to choose from. Don't stop going to classes though, it will be even more difficult for you to pick it back up later.

Answer 4

It depends, sit behind a big nice computer in an airconditioned room and pull in $70,000+ per year, or lay under cars, covered in sticky, toxic liquids, and make $25,000 a year. Plus as a mechanical engineer, you could design the next cars driving down the road.

Answer 5

I've been in your same shoes. Look at it this way:

Some people like food and like to cook. But working in the kitchen of a restaurant... not quite the same.
Some people like plants and gardening. But doing someone else's lawn/garden... not quite the same.
Some of us like working on cars, tricking them out, etc. But working in a shop, fixing someone else's car? Forget it.

Go for Mechanical Engineering. That will open you doors to work in any field you want, let it be designing cars, engines, or literally anything you want. Myself, I ended up working in fuel cell research.
Then you can take on working on cars as your hobby instead.

Answer 6

Your dad just doesn't want you to aim too low. Maybe he regrets not getting a degree himself or maybe he never had the opportunitys he wants for you.

Anyway, it's your life, not his and the right choice probably comes down to whether you want to work in an office or a shop.

Answer 7

This is a no brainer......mechanical engineer.....turning wrenches can be a hobby.....It won't be as easy, but you can bust your *** now for 4-5 years or bust your *** the rest of your life....you choose....