Electrical or Nuclear engineer??

Question

Hey, so like I said above I'm thinking of a career in one of these two fields but I cannot decide on which. My plan from the start was a 4 year college and that would give me 2 more years (senior about to finish HS) to decide. However I just recently learned of the Nuclear program the navy offers. ( For those of you not associated with the navy it is a program where they pay for all my college classes to earn my Nuclear degree WHILE being paid an annual salary for being enlisted). After two years I am deployed on an air craft carrier where I will continue two more years of study and hands on training on the ship. After which I will have obtained my BS in Nuclear engineering and have had almost 3 years of hands on training. I will then be put on navy reserve for the next 4 years and can start my career. Keep in my mind this whole time all classes, housing, etc was paid for PLUS my E-4 salary.My question is would you do this or take the traditional route and be an electrical engineer?

Answer 1

I found myself in that same situation when I graduated high school. You forgot to mention the big enlistment bonus they offer to nuke program enlistees. Well, I took the money and the 6 year enlistment. (They tell you carriers and you end up on subs) I did my time and when I was finished I didn't have an actual degree (Like I was promised) but it was easy to find work. Good luck on finding a job at a civilian nuke plant though. I ended up applying at several power plants where I was more than qualified and ended up accepting a job at a gas turbine plant. The funny thing about this story is a guy I went to high school with went and got his ACTUAL engineering degree and was the plant engineer where I was hired. In essence he was my boss. I would take the college. If you still consider the Navy talk to people that have been through that program and have gotten out, don't take the recruiters word for anything. Also its not reserve duty when the schooling is done, its active time and its a total 6 year obligation from the day you set foot in basic training. Take all of that into consideration. I did enjoy the time I was in and wouldnt change my decision now (I got to go all over the world) If I had to do it all again I would have went to college.

Answer 2

This is a curious question since I had a similar situation.

I didn't take the Navy's offer and then through a serious of misjudgments on my part I joined the Army. Didn't get anything out of the Army. About 5 years after high school, I started college and got my EE degree.

I had a person that worked for me that went through the Navy nuclear program. He is a electronics tech now. He is smart enough but not working in a power plant. From what he told me, he really didn't do much but watch the intake and output water temperature. The reactor was taken care of by contractors.

I would go the electrical engineering route. I feel the most important thing for you to do is make a decision and stick with it.

Have fun and good luck

Answer 3

Welp - that sounds great - for the time you are in the military. After that, the nuclear field is quite small compared to the electrical engineering field. As a nuke engineer, you can work with reactors - how many of them are there? I have to think there is a waiting list to get one of these jobs. With EE, the field is huge and growing every day. Good luck!

Answer 4

Being in the Military my self, my nephew is doing the nuke school in virginia. this is a good way to get the schooling make sure you have a strong background in Math. He is already getting offers from civillian plants to go work for them. Navy has good schools to attend plus you don't have to be worried about the draft in the marines or army.