Engineering Mechanical vs. Civil engineering

[nate104]

Hi everyone. I am a sophmore studying to get a bs in mechanical engineering. I am thinking about switching to civil engineering, and I need some suggestions about what degree to pursue. First off, I do not care much about salaries because I know either way I will be making more than enough money. There are two major things that I do care about.
First, I want to be able to travel / live around the world working as an engineer. Would both degrees give me good opportunities to get international jobs?
Second, I care about having a job that is fun and that I enjoy. I am concerned that if I stay with mechanical engineering I will get stuck behind a desk all day doing mathematical analysis. I know I need to learn this stuff, and I don't mind it, but I would rather do something more interactive and creative. Also, by the way a lot of my teachers talk, it makes mechanical engineering seem like its mostly about power plants, refrigeration system, motors etc. I am not really into that stuff. I know there are lots of job opportunities, but will I be able to find a fun, active job if I stay with mechanical?

 

[kote]

Hi everyone. I am a sophmore studying to get a bs in mechanical engineering. I am thinking about switching to civil engineering, and I need some suggestions about what degree to pursue. First off, I do not care much about salaries because I know either way I will be making more than enough money. There are two major things that I do care about.
First, I want to be able to travel / live around the world working as an engineer. Would both degrees give me good opportunities to get international jobs?
Second, I care about having a job that is fun and that I enjoy. I am concerned that if I stay with mechanical engineering I will get stuck behind a desk all day doing mathematical analysis. I know I need to learn this stuff, and I don't mind it, but I would rather do something more interactive and creative. Also, by the way a lot of my teachers talk, it makes mechanical engineering seem like its mostly about power plants, refrigeration system, motors etc. I am not really into that stuff. I know there are lots of job opportunities, but will I be able to find a fun, active job if I stay with mechanical?

There are plenty of jobs you can get with a mechanical engineering degree that do not involve CAD. Mechanical engineering can open doors in management, consulting, even finance, etc. With a civil engineering degree it is harder to get into one of these related fields (or to change fields later on). I recommend checking out http://www.ge.com/careers/students/omlp/index.html as one example of what you can do.

Notice the degree required though:

Degree in Engineering; Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Aerospace Engineering and Chemical Engineering degrees are preferred​

Civil is not as well respected for more general business roles. You may enjoy civil - I can't speak much about the lifestyle of civil engineers. Civil does seem more limiting in business than mechanical engineering though.

Edit: I'll mention also that all of the people I know in GE's Commercial Leadership Program (sales) have mechanical engineering degrees as well.

 

[JD88]

The nice thing about mechanical engineering is that it is so broad. Sure you can work on power plants, refrigeration and motors but you can also work on aircraft, spacecraft , automobiles, boats, various instruments, consulting, product design, alternative energy...the list goes on.

What are you interested in working on? Whatever job you end up getting it should probably not be just based on the travel opportunities.

 

[nate104]

The nice thing about mechanical engineering is that it is so broad. Sure you can work on power plants, refrigeration and motors but you can also work on aircraft, spacecraft , automobiles, boats, various instruments, consulting, product design, alternative energy...the list goes on.

What are you interested in working on? Whatever job you end up getting it should probably not be just based on the travel opportunities.

I am interested in a lot of things like mountain bikes, cars, motorcycles. If I mechanical engineering I basically would want a job where I either come up with designs/improvements, do testing, or work hands on with something. I don't really care if it is something "high tech" or "prestigous" like spacecraft or anything. Having a job that I like is my first priority, and travel opportunities is second. I was thinkging there are both lots of american companys that do engineering work internationally, as well as companys that are strictly in a different country. Is this correct?

 

[physicsnoob93]

My father is working as a mechanical engineer for one of the supermajor oil companies.

If you're 40something and you're still doing mathematical analysis behind a desk, chances are that you haven't progressed a lot wherever you work. Usually you'll go up to manage people more than numbers.

Again, this depends on your own personal preferences and what you like to do.

Also, comparing travel opportunities at this stage is pretty useless. There are too many things to consider then. Which company you're working for, what project you're doing etc etc. A civil engineer could keep traveling to different places every few months while a mechanical engineer stays put or a civil engineer could never move while a mechanical engineer travels the world.

You should also understand that learning about power plants etc. etc. is not what you'll do in the real world. Such things are just for a preparation, but what you do when you get a job is very different.

 

[ddelaiarro]

nate - I'm 30 years old and began school as a civil engineering. I jumped over to mechanical engineering for a lot of reasons that aren't really relevant to your situation. I can tell you the following things:

- As a ME, I've been able to work on a lot of cool things (RF medical equipment, ion beam etch/deposition equipment, energy conservation implementation, ruggedized military communication equipment). Some was high tech, some wasn't. None of what I've worked on has been power plant or refrigeration system related. I have done work with motors (not designing them, but using them).

- I've built, with my own two hands, the prototypes of everything I've designed. It's the best part of my job.

- I've traveled a lot - both domestically and internationally - doing installs, upgrades, and sales support. If I had wanted it, I would have been given the chance to travel more as a Field Support Engineer.

- I don't do CAD work or analysis all day long - but knowing these concepts helps me perform my job and make good decisions

- My buddies who stayed with Civil Engineering like their jobs - they work outside a lot - but are paid significantly less than me (I know you said pay wasn't an issue, but it might be later in life when a family and/or kids come into the picture). The don't travel as much as I do either.

- I've been able to move into a Program Mgmt role as an ME. My Civil Eng friends don't have a lot of movement as most of them work for municipalities or for smaller environmental-related companies.

To me, and this is just off the cuff, you might be well suited for an applications engineer position doing pre- and post-sale support work. It's engineering work, but you get away from the desk/computer a lot, you travel (how much depends on the company and product) and you're not a traditional engineer.

Personally, I'd say stay with ME, but, then again, I'm biased based upon my background ;)

Good luck!

 

[Major_Energy]

Hey Nate,

I have a B.S. CE but with more management emphasis. I worked mainly as a construction project manager (until the war and I've been doing proj management for that for the last 10 years).

As Ddelaiarro has said and I agree ME is much more broad than CE.

I went the "Project Management" route more than say the 'Structural Route' Think of the structural engineers as folks who are more the number crunchers. Munincipal Civil Engineers (if the munincipality actually has that position - some contract it out nowadays) do both, they design things in-house and manage the project.

Being a project manager or a project engineer for civil projects you can travel quite a bit. For example just as an intern I was a project manager for building a number of truck and railroad scales in several different states for one contract. In industry I did infrastructure improvements like business parks, water and sanitary systems, and a water tower. The unique thing on the project manager route is you start doing some pretty big projects right from college, (I managed the water tower project 4 years after college).

On the extreme end, you could work for a large company and be in charge of say - project delivery of a professional football stadium after about 10-15 years after building up your project portfolio. You travel from big project to big project every few years. There is all sorts of stuff in between too. Project Manager (PM) for say oil platforms and travel the world, etc. Lots of niche markets.

What is fun? Only you can figure that out, and it may change over time. I thought traveling a lot was fun too till my late 20's, now I don't like it as much, (I would travel ALOT tho, like home maybe 4-5 days per month).

The neat thing is that your projects are generally huge / landmarks, and knowing every little thing that went on from the first prelim idea to all the crazy things that went on while it was being built. Even if they are small it is very rewarding. I still see the truck scales I did back when I was an intern while driving, the water tower (its still standing!) etc.

One thing on creativity - maybe a hair less than ME, as for building construction generally an architect "designs" the thing and as the PM you have to figure out how to make all those good ideas stand without falling down.

Money is better being a PM too, but that is typical for management / managing people resources.

 

[kote]

Just an FYI - MEs also do field / project engineering and construction / project or operations management. It's certainly more of a standard path for CEs, and consulting type engineering firms will usually prefer CEs. I'm an ME in operations management now with friends in construction. There is also a clear path here for me if I want to get into project management on power plant construction.

Good post; the construction / manufacturing management side of things doesn't get enough attention .

 

[ddelaiarro]

I agree with everything Major Energy and kote said.

ME definitely hit the nail on the head w/regards to what CE can be. I think I missed out a lot of that because my school's CE program concentrated more on environmental engineering and not the structural end of things.

kote is right too - I have A LOT of college friends in the nuclear power plant world right now. Definitely much different than the route I took.

 

[stewartcs]

Hi everyone. I am a sophmore studying to get a bs in mechanical engineering. I am thinking about switching to civil engineering, and I need some suggestions about what degree to pursue. First off, I do not care much about salaries because I know either way I will be making more than enough money. There are two major things that I do care about.
First, I want to be able to travel / live around the world working as an engineer. Would both degrees give me good opportunities to get international jobs?
Second, I care about having a job that is fun and that I enjoy. I am concerned that if I stay with mechanical engineering I will get stuck behind a desk all day doing mathematical analysis. I know I need to learn this stuff, and I don't mind it, but I would rather do something more interactive and creative. Also, by the way a lot of my teachers talk, it makes mechanical engineering seem like its mostly about power plants, refrigeration system, motors etc. I am not really into that stuff. I know there are lots of job opportunities, but will I be able to find a fun, active job if I stay with mechanical?

I'd say an ME is more versatile than a CE.

You can certainly work in areas outside of power plants and refrigeration...It just depends on your interests and willingness to do research.

Based on my personal work experience, I've found it more common that ME's travel abroad over a CE. Note: I've worked in the offshore oil and gas business most of my professional career and travel is basically mandatory at some point (and we prefer ME's over CE's).

Just my 2 cents...

CS

 

[ken2002]

Don't do it! Stick with mechanical engineering. Civil engineering will severely limit your options and hurt you big time later in life (at least financially). I have a B.S. in Civil Engineering, have been working for nearly 10 years since college, and sometimes I regret every stepping foot in that particular engineering program. I've worked internationally, and although I don't work in the more traditional areas of civil engineering (telecom instead), I often feel like I'm completely trapped in an industry that's hard to break away from. Mechanical engineers can go work for a plethora of industries and companies, ranging anywhere from nuclear power, manufacturing, industrial design, internal/external building systems, and the list goes on and on. Civil engineers are invariably all crammed into one general industry, architecture/construction, and as I'm unfortunately finding out myself, it is very hard to remove oneself completely from this industry without having to go back to school again. One could easily argue that there are in fact far too many civil engineers and architects in industry at the moment, since the construction industry is often one of the first to suffer when the economy slows down. And given that our local and federal governments spend very little on infrastructure projects these days nor are they likely to in the near future, this industry should best be avoided. Civil engineers are the lowest paid of all engineering professions, and if the law of supply and demand is anything to go by, it's because we have too many right now. Every one of my friends that studied another engineering discipline has progressed quite far in their career so far and also seem rather happy. Nearly everyone I know in civil engineering is burned out and wishing they had chosen another career path. I can only speak on personal experiences and what I've witnessed so far, but I think you'd be making a BIG mistake switching over to civil engineering. Stay where you are. You'll be a much happier person later on!

 

[a_man]

Don't do it! Stick with mechanical engineering. Civil engineering will severely limit your options and hurt you big time later in life (at least financially). I have a B.S. in Civil Engineering, have been working for nearly 10 years since college, and sometimes I regret every stepping foot in that particular engineering program. I've worked internationally, and although I don't work in the more traditional areas of civil engineering (telecom instead), I often feel like I'm completely trapped in an industry that's hard to break away from. Mechanical engineers can go work for a plethora of industries and companies, ranging anywhere from nuclear power, manufacturing, industrial design, internal/external building systems, and the list goes on and on. Civil engineers are invariably all crammed into one general industry, architecture/construction, and as I'm unfortunately finding out myself, it is very hard to remove oneself completely from this industry without having to go back to school again. One could easily argue that there are in fact far too many civil engineers and architects in industry at the moment, since the construction industry is often one of the first to suffer when the economy slows down. And given that our local and federal governments spend very little on infrastructure projects these days nor are they likely to in the near future, this industry should best be avoided. Civil engineers are the lowest paid of all engineering professions, and if the law of supply and demand is anything to go by, it's because we have too many right now. Every one of my friends that studied another engineering discipline has progressed quite far in their career so far and also seem rather happy. Nearly everyone I know in civil engineering is burned out and wishing they had chosen another career path. I can only speak on personal experiences and what I've witnessed so far, but I think you'd be making a BIG mistake switching over to civil engineering. Stay where you are. You'll be a much happier person later on!

If you do not mind, do you think you can tell me which school graduate from ?
I just want to know in which state or coutry you praticed engineering.

 

[devantaan]

Actually i am doing diploma from civil now i am thinking switching for mechanical so which is better?

 

[ddelaiarro]

Actually i am doing diploma from civil now i am thinking switching for mechanical so which is better?

Have you read through the thread? One is not better than the other. Each offers different opportunities. Your choice has a lot to do with what you (think) you want out of life. If travel and higher salary are important, then ME might be the way to go. If working outside, doing municipal work and potentially having an impact on the environment are important to you, then many CE is the way to go. But, please, read the entire thread and try to digest the information. There is no one set answer to your question.

 

[timsea81]

Have you read through the thread? One is not better than the other. Each offers different opportunities. Your choice has a lot to do with what you (think) you want out of life. If travel and higher salary are important, then ME might be the way to go. If working outside, doing municipal work and potentially having an impact on the environment are important to you, then many CE is the way to go. But, please, read the entire thread and try to digest the information. There is no one set answer to your question.

I don't have any experience with civil engineering and I'm no career expert so what I say is based purely on my own experience with mechanical engineering and what I've heard. That said, with regards to this talk of ME being better pay than CE, I've heard from other people the opposite. I don't think it's that cut and dry, and I'm sure it varies a great deal depending on the industry, the company, the position, and the person.

With regards to what's said above about CE being a better opportunity to do something for the environment, I have to question your logic here. Mechanical engineers that design building systems have the job of figuring out how to make a system work most efficiently, given the constraints they are given (budget, owners requirements, architects, etc). I can't think of a more tangible and direct way for one's job performance to positively impact the environment: If the engineer does a good job, the building will use less energy.

Back to the original post though, I think you're under the wrong impression to think that mechanical engineers are "stuck behind a desk" while civil engineers are out traveling the world. I don't know why one would be more "behind the desk" than the other.

 

[ddelaiarro]

I don't have any experience with civil engineering and I'm no career expert so what I say is based purely on my own experience with mechanical engineering and what I've heard. That said, with regards to this talk of ME being better pay than CE, I've heard from other people the opposite. I don't think it's that cut and dry, and I'm sure it varies a great deal depending on the industry, the company, the position, and the person.

I absolutely agree with you that it's not cut and dry. But, my response was based more on my experience with my career path and salary as an ME compared to my friends who became CE's. Also, if you look at Salary.com and compare a Mechanical Engineer who is 5-10 years into his career with a Civil Engineer at the same point in his career (no advanced degrees), you'll see that the ME is making more money on average. Depending on where you live, the disparity may be greater or smaller...but, on average, the ME is going to make more.

ME (5-10yrs exp) - http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/Mechanical-Engineer-III-Salary-Details.aspx" <-- national average
CE (5-10yrs exp) - http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/Civil-Engineer-III-Salary-Details.aspx" <-- national average

Not a huge difference, but enough, especially when a family/mortgage/etc come into play...

With regards to what's said above about CE being a better opportunity to do something for the environment, I have to question your logic here. Mechanical engineers that design building systems have the job of figuring out how to make a system work most efficiently, given the constraints they are given (budget, owners requirements, architects, etc). I can't think of a more tangible and direct way for one's job performance to positively impact the environment: If the engineer does a good job, the building will use less energy.

I'd have to agree with you on this one. The statement I made was, again, based upon my own experiences. I have always worked in the product design/development end of the ME world and actually neglected the building systems end of the ME spectrum. On the flip-side, I was thinking about CE's who design waste-treatment plants, landfills, etc...things that have a direct effect on the environment (mostly because that's what my school's CE program centered around).

Back to the original post though, I think you're under the wrong impression to think that mechanical engineers are "stuck behind a desk" while civil engineers are out traveling the world. I don't know why one would be more "behind the desk" than the other.

Agreed - the engineering profession, on a whole, is what you make of it. If you find yourself stuck behind a desk, you can move into career paths (Sales Engineers, Applications Engineers, Business Development Technical Leads, etc) that allow you to travel, both domestically and internationally, and keep you away from the desk.

Bottom line is that you have to figure out what subject matter interests you the most and go from there. Remember, regardless of your job title, travel requirements, etc, you're going to be dealing with this general subject matter everyday for a long time. You might as well enjoy what you do.

 

[ce93]

hi everybody! I'm looking for some advice..I'm very interested in aeronautics...but there isn't aeronautical engineering in my country...last year I decided to choose between ME and CE and I was told CE was much more complete and broad... right now I am thinking of changing to ME ...but it's kind of complicated since I'd have to change of college too...is ME more suited for this?

 

[ddelaiarro]

hi everybody! I'm looking for some advice..I'm very interested in aeronautics...but there isn't aeronautical engineering in my country...last year I decided to choose between ME and CE and I was told CE was much more complete and broad... right now I am thinking of changing to ME ...but it's kind of complicated since I'd have to change of college too...is ME more suited for this?

Do you mean is ME more suited for an aeronautical engineering career than CE? Not being an AE, I can't speak 100% to that, but my initial impression would be YES. You will learn all the physics, statics and dynamics that are the basis of flight in an ME cirriculum, but you most likely will not be exposed to pure aeronautic design practice and principles.

I would love to know why you were told that CE is much more "complete and broad?" You're really comparing apples and oranges. It's the same as comparing ME and EE - you have the same base skills (physics, chemistry, advanced math, etc) but your areas of expertise are vastly different. To be honest with you, I think the EE's I have met have the broadest depth of knowledge (especially when it comes to part design) as they understand electronics and circuitry and also have a handle on mechanical traits such as stress/strain and heat transfer.

You mention that, in your country, there is no AE. Where do you live (if you don't mind me asking)? The reason I ask is because if you live in a developing nation where roads and infrastructure and emerging and growing fields, a CE degree may have been suggested due to the fact that there may be more demand for that skill set...

 

[pizzapop]

I am Canadian, graduating with a Bachelors in Environmental Science this semester. I decided the life of a scientist isn't for me. I worked at an environmental consulting company and worked with a petroleum, 2 environmental, and a biomedical engineer. It was a strange collection of people but I envied their jobs. In September I am starting a second bachelors in engineering (skipping straight to an engineering masters wouldn't really work for me because of the courses I took in my first degree.) I was planning to take civil, but am sensing some negativity here. Landfill / waste water / remediation / environmental engineering all seem like a totally decent backup for me but I really would love to work in renewable energy development (I come from an extremely windy and sunny city and see so much potential there), failing renewable energy I have big dreams about water desalination... Anyways, any comments or ideas about someone like me going into civil, or would you recommend another field like mechanical? I'm not in the world of engineering yet so I'd like to hear some opinions from those who are.

 

[Tex0219]

As someone who has been in the work force for an extended period of time, I would recommend that you get a degree in something you enjoy first and worry about the job market second. You can get a good job with any engineering degree. I started out in electrical engineering and hated it. I moved into chemical engineering and hated it. I graduated with BS and MS degrees in civil Engineering and love it. By the way, don't let anyone tell you the money isn't good in civil engineering. I make over $200K a year as a civil (geotechnical) engineer. I know plenty of other civil engineers that make plenty good money. My point is to do something you're passionate about no matter what major your choose. If you make a decision based on what you perceive the income potential to be, you will regret it. You will be working for a very long time and you better do something you enjoy. By the way, people tend to do a better job at something they enjoy.

 

[galib20]

What are the prospects for entrepreneurship in either field?
I feel opportunities will increase cyclically for CE. But off course, I think you can pursue infrastructure/construction projects as ME also.

 

[mtthwmck]

Hi all

I am studying civil engineering.

I choose civil engineering so i can do a major in structural engineering and also like designing structures and buildings etc.

so my suggestion is that do degree in a field that u like doing. if u don't want to be civil engineer then do a ME . just follow your dreams.

 

[timsea81]

Hi all

I am studying civil engineering.

I choose civil engineering so i can do a major in structural engineering and also like designing structures and buildings etc.

so my suggestion is that do degree in a field that u like doing. if u don't want to be civil engineer then do a ME . just follow your dreams.

This is terrible advice.

Translation: If you're too stupid to spell, major in Civil Engineering.

 

[cake of doom]

If you're too stupid to spell, major in Civil Engineering.

I resemble that remark!

You are right though, that post was awful.

Both M.E. and C.E. will provide good travel opportunities; depends which sector you end up working within.

Within Civils there is rail, geotechnical, marine, infrastructure, surveying and temporary works just to list a few areas and all of these are desirable world wide. Some areas pay better than others but you won't be poor by any means. So its not all digging a big hole and filling it with concrete or you could even get into forensic engineering or demolitions.

I can't imagine Mech. Eng. differs a lot in the available areas of work but as posted before, pay is a bit better. What attracted you to Mech. Eng. over Civils (or any other degree) in the first place?

 

[vlee05]

Hey all,

I'm currently a sophomore as well as a ME major and I'm having the same problem deciding. I know that in the end its still my choice but I just want to make sure my decision is correct. Over the summer, I volunteered at an architecture firm changing up some floor plans according to customer preferences but that is the most "engineering" involvement i have (besides school projects).

However, i decided to pick ME major because of the broad field it promises. I am currently starting to take my major classes such as material science and i absolutely hate it. I took an intro course for ME and barely passed. I thought about changing majors a lot of times but according to some of my friends and family, the stuff we learn in school doesn't really apply to our jobs later on so i was planning to just stick with it for 2 more years. I just want to know... is it worth it?

The only thing i find interesting about ME is the CAD drawings. I absolutely love it when i can spend time to draw a part on Solid Works ( I am only taking the intro course to SolidWorks but I enjoy it... frustrating at times but i enjoy it when the part comes out as shown in the drawing). Civil Engineering seems pretty interesting too (well based on the stuff i learned at the firm). I played with a few programs before which allows me to try to balance forces to create a bridge and other structures an these structures are tested with loads to see if they are safe etc etc. I enjoyed it.

-Note- My designs are rather poor... I am not the type of guy to create a beautiful model of something but I can create a sturdy one.

 

[MathINTJ]

This shouldn't even be a question. NOBODY respects Civil at the jobs I internshiped at. You will be stuck doing menial consultant work. You can stop this now, this decision can effect the rest of your life.

 

[Mathmat]

Have you considered working for an oil company as mechanical engineer? For sure plenty international travel opportunities ( to exotic locations) and for sure interactive offshore projects.

Hi everyone. I am a sophmore studying to get a bs in mechanical engineering. I am thinking about switching to civil engineering, and I need some suggestions about what degree to pursue. First off, I do not care much about salaries because I know either way I will be making more than enough money. There are two major things that I do care about.
First, I want to be able to travel / live around the world working as an engineer. Would both degrees give me good opportunities to get international jobs?
Second, I care about having a job that is fun and that I enjoy. I am concerned that if I stay with mechanical engineering I will get stuck behind a desk all day doing mathematical analysis. I know I need to learn this stuff, and I don't mind it, but I would rather do something more interactive and creative. Also, by the way a lot of my teachers talk, it makes mechanical engineering seem like its mostly about power plants, refrigeration system, motors etc. I am not really into that stuff. I know there are lots of job opportunities, but will I be able to find a fun, active job if I stay with mechanical?

 

[moogull]

I agree with everything Major Energy and kote said.

kote is right too - I have A LOT of college friends in the nuclear power plant world right now. Definitely much different than the route I took.

Hi ddelaiarro,
can you comment a little more on what those guys are doing in the nuclear industry and why you say it is so much different? Not trying to hijack the OP's thread, just curious!

 

[nel.rn]

nurse to engineering?

I'm 25 years old now and I'm planning to go back to school to take engineering. I'm happy with nursing but I'm not satisfied and I'm searching for something that makes me incomplete...Every time they are asking me what line in engineering, I always said maybe CE or ME.. I like traveling and working outside doors that would prefer to civil but I want broad field for good opportunities. I want to know your honest opinion about this..

Thank you...

 

[SteamKing]

I'm 25 years old now and I'm planning to go back to school to take engineering. I'm happy with nursing but I'm not satisfied and I'm searching for something that makes me incomplete...Every time they are asking me what line in engineering, I always said maybe CE or ME.. I like traveling and working outside doors that would prefer to civil but I want broad field for good opportunities. I want to know your honest opinion about this..

Thank you...

Why are you searching for something which makes you incomplete?

 

[kinkmode]

Hi ddelaiarro,
can you comment a little more on what those guys are doing in the nuclear industry and why you say it is so much different? Not trying to hijack the OP's thread, just curious!

There's a lot of civil guys in the nuclear industry who worry about seismic events. I'd also say that most of the engineers at the plant I contracted at were not nuclear engineers. Most were probably civil and mechanical, with a good helping of electrical.

 

[nel.rn]

Why are you searching for something which makes you incomplete?

I'm not happy for what I'm right now. I want more than being a RN. Would it be a nice idea to go back and study again even at my age 25?

 

[travboat]

I turned 26 a few months back; I am studying Civil Engineering; and I have about two years left until I get my B.S.

There are two major points that led me to define CE as my major.

Firstly, I wanted a better opportunity to work out-doors. A course was taught at my university called "Introduction to Civil Engineering" where every week we would have a guest speaker from various civil engineering firms talk to our class about their specific fields. Structural engineers, geotechnical engineers, environmental engineers and several others gave us a great overview of what it meant to be a CE, and lots of them commented that they usually got out of the office at least once a week.

Secondly, I was fascinated that civil engineers are partially responsible for so many great things in our lives. Every time we turn on the water, flip a light switch, drive down the road, or come home to a roof over our heads, a civil engineer played some sort of role. It may be a very "behind the scenes" sort of role, but I am okay with that.

I want to point out that at my university, civil engineering students are taught a great deal about all the other engineering disciplines. We are required to take courses in chemical engineering and circuit analysis in order to graduate. They teach us that civil engineering encompasses so many aspects of society, that in order to be an effective CE, we have to have knowledge of what other engineers do(electrical, mechanical, etc.).

I am not knocking mechanical engineers in any way, as someone else pointed out, some mechanical engineers have profound impacts on our lives. I am simply more fascinated with civil engineering than I am mechanical.

 

[asalan]

i did learn physics in college and it was my major..but too bad finally i be java programmer but i still love java

 

[char808]

I'm headed back to school for a civil engineering degree in a month. I already have a degree so I will have some space in my schedule for additional classes on top of what is required. I am interested in project management and working outside more than less. Any thoughts on what classes to look at? I was thinking of adding some business management classes on, but I think I will have some time to take graduate level courses at undergrad rates.

Thanks.

 

[MarkkkHennnry]

both mechanical and civil are good branches...
it depends on your choice what you choose for engineering

 

[muthupandi]

I think every one can able to create fun with any degree and also any situation. so make fun with what you select.

 

[Jeanderson]

Hello. (:

I am currently a sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering at Western Kentucky University. I am just starting to know what exactly I want to do with engineering, and it involves some different things such as water treatment, building infrastructure, energy (and possibly prosthetic). I've been getting these ideas from a desire to be a part of the Janicki Bioenergy company (http://janickibioenergy.com/), Engineers Without Borders (http://www.ewb-usa.org/) and Engineering Missions International (http://www.emiusa.org/); I want to directly improve the lives of others as much as learned skills and talents can enable me.

From my understanding of Civil engineering, it seems these ideas all fall more under the civil category than the mechanical. However, I may be influenced by where my schooling is located - I am in Bowling Green, Ky, where there is a Corvette Museum and many metal companies that contribute to it, so it seems most of mechanical engineering has to do with metal formation and automobiles. I feel this may be incorrect, and that mechanicals aren't restricted to that? I recently went to a job fair, looking for an internship for this summer, and the companies I was most interested were looking for Civil Engineering majors, and would not accept Mechanical Engineering applicants.

On the flip-side, I have also heard that Mechanical Engineers have the know-how to do the things Civil Engineers do, but have even more options available to them. I feel that Civils are trained more for the things I am interested in. Is this accurate?

Any help or insight would be very much appreciated! :D God bless!

 

[Jeanderson]

Hello. (:

I am currently a sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering at Western Kentucky University. I am just starting to know what exactly I want to do with engineering, and it involves some different things such as water treatment, building infrastructure, energy (and possibly prosthetic). I've been getting these ideas from a desire to be a part of the Janicki Bioenergy company (http://janickibioenergy.com/), Engineers Without Borders (http://www.ewb-usa.org/) and Engineering Missions International (http://www.emiusa.org/); I want to directly improve the lives of others as much as learned skills and talents can enable me.

From my understanding of Civil engineering, it seems these ideas all fall more under the civil category than the mechanical. However, I may be influenced by where my schooling is located - I am in Bowling Green, Ky, where there is a Corvette Museum and many metal companies that contribute to it, so it seems most of mechanical engineering has to do with metal formation and automobiles. I feel this may be incorrect, and that mechanicals aren't restricted to that? I recently went to a job fair, looking for an internship for this summer, and the companies I was most interested were looking for Civil Engineering majors, and would not accept Mechanical Engineering applicants.

On the flip-side, I have also heard that Mechanical Engineers have the know-how to do the things Civil Engineers do, but have even more options available to them. I feel that Civils are trained more for the things I am interested in. Is this accurate?

Any help or insight would be very much appreciated! :D God bless!

 

[ddelaiarro]

Hello. (:

I am currently a sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering at Western Kentucky University. I am just starting to know what exactly I want to do with engineering, and it involves some different things such as water treatment, building infrastructure, energy (and possibly prosthetic). I've been getting these ideas from a desire to be a part of the Janicki Bioenergy company (http://janickibioenergy.com/), Engineers Without Borders (http://www.ewb-usa.org/) and Engineering Missions International (http://www.emiusa.org/); I want to directly improve the lives of others as much as learned skills and talents can enable me.

From my understanding of Civil engineering, it seems these ideas all fall more under the civil category than the mechanical. However, I may be influenced by where my schooling is located - I am in Bowling Green, Ky, where there is a Corvette Museum and many metal companies that contribute to it, so it seems most of mechanical engineering has to do with metal formation and automobiles. I feel this may be incorrect, and that mechanicals aren't restricted to that? I recently went to a job fair, looking for an internship for this summer, and the companies I was most interested were looking for Civil Engineering majors, and would not accept Mechanical Engineering applicants.

On the flip-side, I have also heard that Mechanical Engineers have the know-how to do the things Civil Engineers do, but have even more options available to them. I feel that Civils are trained more for the things I am interested in. Is this accurate?

Any help or insight would be very much appreciated! :D God bless!

You hit on a lot of interesting points here. First, location of your school does play into how they teach their curriculum. For instance, I went to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. There are many defense contractors in the area including Raytheon and Sikorsky. Pratt & Whitney is also local. Our curriculum was centered around design of components, heat transfer and fluid flow - all valuable skills for those companies. It makes sense that your curriculum is centered around metal formation and automobiles given your geographic location and the local companies.

You're right, mechanical engineers aren't limited to their curriculum. I went on to work in industries such as medical device design, ion beam etc (semiconductor process equipment) and, currently, defense electronics. In my opinion and experience, an ME degree is the most flexible because you are more of a 'jack of all trades' in that you learn the basics of almost anything. You can absolutely handle most Civil Engineering tasks, as well as EE tasks. That being said, each of those specialties is going to have specific skills that an ME degree will not prepare you for. But, you'll learn how to learn with any engineering degree so picking them up shouldn't be difficult.

What I'm getting at is this: if you're contemplating an ME degree or a CivE degree, go ME. While you currently have an ideal job in mind, life rarely works that way (I had no intention of being a Program Manager for a defense electronics company when I was doing my undergrad work) and an ME degree will undoubtedly open more avenues to you in the future. Employment opportunities, socio-economic climates and personal matters (family, kids, etc) all play into where you'll decide to work.

If you've identified companies you'd like to work with, one suggestion would be to find folks who work for them - ideally functional managers - and forge a relationship with them. Explain your thought process on what you want to do and why you're getting your degree. Not only are you networking at an early stage of your career, but you can help shape your degree based on the conversation. The best place to find these people is on LinkedIn. In addition to being a PM, I am also a functional manager and have had college students seek my guidance in a similar fashion. It has helped both of us - I even hired a few.

Let me know if you have anymore questions.

 

[littletrout]

Hello,

There is a lot of good information on this thread! From what I have read, I think Mechanical Engineering would be something I would enjoy studying. I would like to know the differences between a job you can get with an engineering degree and an engineering technology degree. I'm a senior in High school and I live in New York. I'm thinking about going to community college for two years and then transfer because the engineering schools I applied to, specifically RIT and Syracuse did not accept me. I did get accepted to Hofstra but it's very expensive.

Ddelaiarro, How did you know mechanical engineering was right for you? I love to do hands on work and I read that you design and build prototypes. That makes me hopeful I won't have to sit in an office all the time. I could go to a 4yr school and get an MET degree but I'm afraid I will regret that decision because from what I know (which is not much), ME will allow me to study further, like get a masters, etc. and I may have more job opportunities. On the other hand, how do I know I can handle the theoretical stuff involved with getting an ME degree? Right now I'm taking AP Chemistry and AP Physics and both are very difficult for me but I have survived so far and I find it interesting to learn about these subjects.
I don't want to end up in a job I don't like nor I can progress in.

Any advice is appreciatd

 

[ddelaiarro]

Littletrout - what are your other options for college? Personally, I would avoid the community college route if you are going to end up going with a full ME degree. You'll spend more time in school which equals more money. Go ME straight away, even if it's not at your dream school (I didn't go to my dream school). As a hiring manager, I look for my technicians to have engineering technology degrees (CC or 4yr) and my engineers to have full-blow engineering degrees. Nothing wrong with being a tech (God knows we all rely on good ones), but don't short change yourself and your education if you want to be an engineer.

For me, picking ME was essentially order of elimination. I knew I was good at math and science, had a strong background with my hands (Dad was a plumber, one grandfather was a welder, the other a mechanic so I was always building or fixing something), and the other disciplines (electrical, chemical, civil, etc.) didn't interest me as much. If you're surviving AP Chem and Physics, you should be able to handle most anything that gets thrown at you in an undergrad ME program.

As far as not ending up in a job you don't like - let us all know if you figure out how to avoid that. I'll bet we've all been there at least once in our lives.

 

[littletrout]

Thanks for replying!
My other options right now are Hofstra University, University at Buffalo, Farmingdale State College (which would be a 4 year program in engineering technology) or Queens College (which does not have any engineering program and I would have to transfer if I want to do engineering).. Although Buffalo is a SUNY school, I'm looking at paying about $20,000 for tuition, room and board per year. I would definitely try to get a job during my time there if I go, but I was trying to avoid taking out such a loan, especially if I plan on staying there for 4 years. The cost I just mentioned is what I would also pay at Hofstra in tuition only. Hofstra is a short drive from where I live so I would stay at home.

One of the main reasons I considered Nassau Community college is because they offer an associates in engineering science and schools like Stony Brook and Rensselaer. accept many transfer credits. The CC supposedly has a joint admissions or articulation agreement with Stony Brook and Hofstra making it easier to transfer. I need to get in touch with both schools to find out the specifics of this and how many students actually transfer to Stony Brook or another school and how long it takes for such students to get a Bachelor's in ME.

My thinking was why not take courses at the CC for two years, save money, and transfer as a junior to another school (Maybe UB or Stony Brook where I would pay for two years) and get my engineering degree instead of spending close to $80,000 on a four year school. Maybe I can cut that cost in half?

If going to a 4 year school would mean I would have a better chance at actually getting a degree in ME, then by all means, I'm willing to consider it. Right now, Farmingdale is my next best option because I would only pay the state tuition and live at home. My biggest concern is that they do not offer engineering, only engineering technology. Not that I don't like ET, it's just hard to tell which I'm more suited for.

 

[ddelaiarro]

OK, I'm veeeery familiar with all the schools you're talking about as I live and work on Long Island. First things first, don't waste your time and money at Farmingdale for a four year ET degree. It's not worth it. I think I misunderstood your question before about transferring after two years. I thought you were pursuing an ET degree with the transfer. Now I see you're thinking about going to NCC first and then transferring to finish up a full ME degree. I have a few thoughts:

1. Bravo to you for thinking about the loans you'll end up with at the end. Lots of kids your age don't do that and it is something that really hinders them getting started in life once they graduate. Those loans start kicking in six months after graduation and they can chew up a big part of your income for a while.
2. As a point of reference, no one will care where you started college, only where your degree is from. That makes your plan smart in one regard...
3. ...in another regard, it may have pitfalls. You need to consider a few things:
   1. Will you be able to finish up in two years at Stony Brook (for instance - it would be my recommendation as I see a lot of good, young engineers come out of there and it is a SUNY) or would you require an additional semester or two to acquire all the credits you really need? Something to look in to. My guess would be that you'd be looking at 5yrs of school - 2 at NCC and 3 at a full college. Consider the cost of that in your equation as well.
   2. You'll be missing out on the first two years of 'group building' at college. At least in my experience, project and study groups were built in the first two years. It may be tough to find these groups if you are a late matriculater. It won't be impossible, but may be more difficult
   3. You'll lose the social-learning aspect that a full college experience can provide. In my experience, I learned as much out of the classroom as I did in the classroom while in college. College life is akin to being an adult with training wheels. You have a ton of freedom, a lot of responsibilities, but there are still safety nets built in. Going to a CC and/or commuting from home may cause you to miss this learning experience.

Also, in my experience:

1. Young engineers who stayed at college in a four year setting are more mature in the workplace - at least in my experience.
2. I've worked with young engineers from Buffalo and young engineers from Stony Brook. Stony Brook grads are better in every aspect of engineering, hands down. For what it's worth, Buffalo has a much better social life - my sister-in-law went there and loved it (non-engineering).

So, I've given you a lot to think about. Chew on it and come back with questions. I can't tell you what to do, only lend advice.

 

[Bridge]

I started in Aerospace and it was not a good fit for me. I am very inspired by what Engineers Without Border's does is what I want to be doing with my life.

Initially, I am drawn to Civil Engineering. When I look at the curriculum of Civil as compared to Mechanical, the Civil Engineering curriculum strikes me as much more interesting. But I am having doubts. I tend to change my mind a lot and want to work in a broad field. Specifically, I would love to work in renewable energy, water resources or infrastructure development for developing communities around the world.

There is a flip side to this coin. I am reading Steve Jobs biography and am very drawn to the positive change he helped inflict on the world through technology. I would love to participate in creating new water treatment methods, improving renewable energy and the aesthetics behind the technology we use everyday. Sometimes I feel like to make my difference on the world it has to be through technology and that CE is not the best field for someone who say, has a desire to work on wind turbines.

I have read a lot of places that ME is a broader field than CE. Is this true?

If I want to work on improving renewable energy technology and water treatment technology, should I choose ME or CE?

Any insight is SO greatly appreciated.

 

[ddelaiarro]

You'll probably be able to work in those areas with both CE and ME. In my experience, ME's will work the technology - creating the systems to transform energy, designing the systems for water treatment, etc. CE's can/will work with them to implement it in the environment, however, most ME's can do this kind of work.

When I was at UMass, we had a professor in the ME department (http://www.ecs.umass.edu/mie/faculty/mcgowan.html who wrote Wind Energy Explained: Theory, Design and Application) who worked exclusively in wind power. He built wind turbines locally and the CE department had nothing to do with it. ME students (PhD, grad and undergrad) worked with McGowan to pick the location, design the earthworks of the land, design the install and manage it. We had similar situations where ME students worked with other schools' ME departments to work on waste water management projects.

 

[templejr]

hello, am currently studying civil engineering in north cyprus, this thread has really left me confused on whether to switch or remain in civil

As someone who has been in the work force for an extended period of time, I would recommend that you get a degree in something you enjoy first and worry about the job market second. You can get a good job with any engineering degree. I started out in electrical engineering and hated it. I moved into chemical engineering and hated it. I graduated with BS and MS degrees in civil Engineering and love it. By the way, don't let anyone tell you the money isn't good in civil engineering. I make over $200K a year as a civil (geotechnical) engineer. I know plenty of other civil engineers that make plenty good money. My point is to do something you're passionate about no matter what major your choose. If you make a decision based on what you perceive the income potential to be, you will regret it. You will be working for a very long time and you better do something you enjoy. By the way, people tend to do a better job at something they enjoy.

hello, am currently studying civil engineering in north cyprus, this thread has really left me confused on whether to switch or remain in CE, you said you earn over 200k where do you live and work?

 

[massmanute]

Maybe a dumb idea, but how much additional course work would be required for a double major, ME and CE?

 

[MNEG]

HI, I'm studying civil engineering, fourth semester, in Mexico.

I'm doubting about if i have made the right decision, I'm interested for what this field of engineering do but at this moment I don't know in which specifically area i want to work on. I think making research on materials behavior, working in aircrafts development or, in general, developing new things would be great. In general i want to apply all the science i have been taught until now, i am afraid once i graduate all i do was administration or drawings in autocad that doesn't requiere such high knoeledge.

So, i would like to know if a ME degree could help me to do so, what is the best choise, ME or CE, to make a research career?, and of course in which one i will be able to earn the most since i live in a "developing country" or "third world country".

Thanks and forgive me if i had grammar mistakes.

 

[ddelaiarro]

Well, if you're interested in materials, aircraft development, etc then you should lean towards ME. Both ME and CE can do both research however the things you mentioned are definitely more inline with an ME degree than a CE degree.

That being said, it's the end of the first paragraph that gives me pause. You mention that you want to apply all the science you've been taught and not do administrative and/or drawing work (which you believe doesn't require high knowledge). Let me address your last statement first - I know many non-degreed designers who can design and engineer circles around freshly graduated engineers. Never doubt the ability of those without a degree, especially the guys who have been in the field for a long time. Also, never be afraid to start at the bottom. I have been in the field now for long enough that I'm not longer in the youngest crowd at work (not am I the old man). What I can tell you is that the people who come in willing to learn and do the "remedial" work first are usually the ones who progress. Be willing to do the Engineering Change work - both the paper work and the CAD work. Not only will you learn about your company's products, but you'll also learn how they work. You'll also be learning valuable lessons about how engineering companies work, in general.

College/university gives the what, but only work experience gives you the how.