MSME- smart move or total blunder?

DErazorGuy

You've probably heard this sob story before, but please try to sympathize with my plight. I graduated over 3 years ago (May 2009) with a BSME from a lesser known but still ABET accredited university. After about a year of job searching, a half dozen interviews, and no job offers I decided that I had to find something so I began working at Walmart. Now after two years of it I'm at the end of my rope. I realized I've gotten way to complacent with my situation. I'm not happy. I'm wasting time, I want a change, etc. So I applied and have been accepted to the MSME program of a more well known university. But I am torn as to whether or not this is a smart move. The prospect of student loan debt scares me (I'm not in debt right now), and I don't know if there's any real value in a Master's Degree. I would rather just gain knowledge and experience from actually working in the industry. Too keep it short, I guess I have many questions and few answers. Is Mechanical Engineering a dead profession in this country (U.S.A.)? If not, is it worth the time and money to pursue an advanced degree. If it is, should I consider a related career like a draftsman/CNC programmer? I'm sorry to bombard you with these questions, but any feedback based on your experience would be helpful to me.