Considering Engineering Degree: Pros, Cons, & Finances

[yoleven]

Hello, I would appreciate some advice. I have a degree and a job that pays me $50k. I want to return to school to get an engineering degree.
Tuition would be 5k/yr plus expenses.
Is it financially smart for me to do this?
What are the jobs like after you get a degree?
I am literally a few days from applying but I am a little intimidated.
Any input you could offer me would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[symbolipoint]

How much money can you save each year, BEFORE going to school? Would you earn a salary increase during that time? You should plan on doing some kind of work for income while you are a student - maybe tutoring, or possibly some programming projects for pay. My best guess it that YES, you could sooner or later quit your present job and go to school to study engineering. Just plan and prepare first.

 

[kev1829]

I wouldn't give up a good salary to go back to school full time unless you hate your current job. I make a decent salary and have gone back to school part time. Granted it will take a lot longer, I am looking at 14 years, but if you are able to maintain financial independence then part time schooling may be the better option.

I figure that if I spend 14 years to get a degree in law after a BS in physics I will end up with a great early retirement career that I can do from anywhere. There is something appealing about doing patent law from some island in the carribbean.

 

[stewartcs]

Hello, I would appreciate some advice. I have a degree and a job that pays me $50k. I want to return to school to get an engineering degree.
Tuition would be 5k/yr plus expenses.
Is it financially smart for me to do this?
What are the jobs like after you get a degree?
I am literally a few days from applying but I am a little intimidated.
Any input you could offer me would be appreciated.
Thanks.

I would say that if you really love what you are doing, then stick with it. If not, and you think you would like Engineering, then give it a shot by taking some part-time classes to see if you like it (and would want to make a career of it). If you find out that you don't like it, then you can always stop taking classes and go back to working full-time.

CS