My physics tutor says that a Bachelors degree in engineering is pointless. Is he right?

Question

I am in my third year in my goal of getting a b.s. in electrical engineering. he says a b.s. degree will get you a b.s. job and that the only way to go is to get at least a master's and but go for the p.h.d. is he right? will a b.s. degree be worthless in the next few years?

Answer 1

I would say a "BS degree only", in physics, is less useful then a BS degree only in EE. Depends on what you want to go into and how motivated you are. EE is a very wide field and there are subject areas in which it would be very difficult to survive with only a BS degree. However, there are plenty of jobs that only require a BS degree. I've also known plenty of smart engineers who "ONLY" have a BS.

It's been my experience, working as a digital circuit designer, that once you are working as an engineer, not many people care or even know if you have a BS, MS, or PhD. I don't think the "pecking order" mentality is as strong as some of the more "pure" research areas, such as physics.

Now, that does not mean a MS or a PHD degree is useless. Unless you are very motivated and smart, additional knowledge you gain in getting a higher degree is useful or necessary to do your job.

In any case, unless you keep learning as an engineer, any degree in EE will be worthless in a few years.

Good luck, what ever you decide.

Answer 2

I think Christina gave you a good answer. I have a BS in Chemical Engineering (and a MBA). Having a Bachelors degree in Engineering is not pointless. First and foremost, engineering students command the highest starting salaries of all BS degrees on average (~$45,000 - $70,000). If you enjoy electrical engineering school work and the some of the career opportunities afforded to you, then that is what is most important. Having advanced engineering degrees are impressive but having a B.S followed by years of pratical work experience nearly equates to having a M.S. degree. With the Baby Boom generation nearing retirement, many more opportunities will open up for more experienced engineers leaving entry-level engineers with good employment options.

Answer 3

I know that a bachelors degree in electrical engineering will allow you many opportunites. Expect a starting salary from $50k to 60k. A masters degree might bump you to $60k to $70k but will take most people two years. If you started working you could get a couple of raises during those two years and be close to the $60k mark.

Depending what you would like to do with your degree(s) a PhD can actually limit the number of jobs you could get as some employers will not higher PhD's for some jobs that they think the PhD will tire of and leave. This could be true... or it could have been your dream job and they passed you over because they think you are overqualified.

A masters degree in engineering is nice because they are often free (paid for by the school by grants, usually with a small stipend). The extra time lets you learn some additional skills, get some project work that shows you can handle unstructured activities, and start out at higher pay.

That being said, some companies may also pay for you to get your masters degree while you work for them. And almost all companies higher people with bachelors.

Maybe AMD and Intel higher more masters... don't know. You could always check out the job openings at companies you would like to work for and see what qualifications they are looking for.

Answer 4

You are definitely better with the B.S. degree than without. Having said that, the M.S. will tend to pay for itself within a few years. The Ph.D. is less likely to be worth the time/money/effort, unless your career goals require a Ph.D. (e.g., university professor, researcher, etc.).

You should also keep in mind that your tutor probably has a B.S. and clearly has a bs job (tutoring). Consider the source - he/she might just be a lame engineer and unable to get on a good career path due to lack of competence. He/she sounds bitter. No matter how many degrees a bad engineer has, he won't be very successful. Likewise, not matter how few degrees a good engineer has he still will be a good engineer. Good engineers will always be in demand.

Answer 5

No he is not right.

I have been in various electrical engineering positions within a major Canadian telephone company and with a major Canadian high tech company for the last 18 years. I have a bachelor's degree in EE.

Most companies out there require a B. A. Sc. in EE for most jobs because they know they will get a relatively inexperienced person. Most of what I learned came from the job not from a university. The university helped because I would not be able to learn the things I did on the job. I learned all about digital multiplexing (SONET) on the job because the technology was happening there not in the university. I learned about digital communications (internet, wireless technology) in the industry, not in the university, because the technology was being developed in the companies not in the university.

My advice. Get your degree. Get a job. Spend about 5 years in the industry getting settled getting comfortable with the things you learned in university. Then decide whether you want to go back and expand your education. If you are Canadian, you'll have to get licensed anyway, and you can do that only through work experience.

Answer 6

Sorry to say, the guy is partly right. You should never stop learning. However, you have to start somewhere. And Engineering School is an excellent way to begin.

You may not retain everything out of engineering school, but you will be exposed to many disciplines. You will gain the ability to research and understanding of the world surrounding us. You will gain the respect of other people because it will be hard. Be prepared to put your social life on hold.

However, you get a degree, as well, and that opens up a lot of doors. Too many people nowadays have Mickey Mouse degrees.

I would hire an engineer with a 2.0 GPA vs. a psychologist with a 4.0 GPA.

In the future, you may augument your education with a Master's.

Answer 7

I'm not sure about E.E., but a friend of mine has a B.S in mechanical engineering and has had no problems finding a job with very decent starting pay.

More and more people are getting their Bachelors these days though, so to become more competitive a Masters or PhD will definately help you out.

Answer 8

I have a EE degree and a very good job. It has opened many doors for me and it is far from worthless. Tell your physics tutor to get a job with his physic degree, he has a very difficult degree that is close to worthless. Most engineers that I know have a BS only, what gets you ahead on the job is not your many degrees, you need one to get in the door but hard work and your abilities that is what gets you the big pay raises and a good paying job. Lots of senior EE, make good pay.

Answer 9

Look, I do not have a BA but I do the work of a person w/ a masters. I took extra classes and the school of hard work. What do you want to do. learn it, be the best you can. Put in extra time. We need lots of good upcoming engineers as many are turning 60 and retiring. Go beyond electrical-be an EMS specialist, I need a motor manage right now.

Answer 10

Honestly, I think you need a new tutor. A BS in EE will get you $50-70K starting salary and plenty of job offers. I don't think a masters will get you anything better though some companies look favorably on it. By the way, I supervise an engineering group, so I know of what I speak.