Aeronautical Engineer Career

[Michael Hill]

I'm thinking of pursuing aeronautical engineer as my career. I was wondering how many of you are that title? Do you enjoy it? What were the grades and the amount of collage you had to do? And also, How long did it take you, or how long do you suppose it'll take to make it big? i.e. being able to afford exotic cars and crap. Just looking into this career. I think it'll be fun.

Mike

 

[JimNtexas]

I'm thinking of pursuing aeronautical engineer as my career. I was wondering how many of you are that title?
...
Mike

I majored in Aero engineering, but if I had it to do over again I'd have gone mechanical or electrical engineering. Aerospace companies are happy to hire EE's and ME's, but non-aero companies are less impressed by an aero degree.

I wound up as software engineer anyway, which is pretty common I think.

 

[mzaharis]

Check the department for which you wish to study. You usually have to take a few engineering electives. If you can take a Mech E degree with a few aerospace electives (some sort of basic flight theory, fluid mechanics), you'll be in a better career position than a "pure" Aero E person. You'll be able to demonstrate some specific aerospace knowledge, yet you will be able to present the non-aero degree to non-aerospace employers, as JimNtexas suggests.

The only thing that may prevent you from doing this is if the Aero E program at your university has a "gateway" class, which serves as a prereq for other Aero E Classes. Study the course catalog carefully, and talk with one (or more) of the department advisors.

I switched from Aero E to Mfg E, and long story short, ended up in IT (like so many other engineers, although not before I got a chance to work in the Aerospace field for a large manufacturer). Take my advice for what it's worth. Whatever you do, own your career; don't let it own you. Stay practical, but don't lose sight of what you really want to do.

 

[NuGuy]

Hi Mike,

Like you I thought about going Aero E, but the school I went to didn't offer it (majored my first semester in "undecided"). I wound up going Mech E, and didn't regret it at all.

I know a bro from my class who did his Mech E, and then went on to Auburn and got a Masters in Industrial Design (basically architecture for objects), and is making serious $$$ now.

Like Jim said, MechE is fairly universal, and you can tack on some electives if your school allows it.

Heh, that reminds me of the hierarchy at my school. The EEs were the serious, serious brainiacs, the Mech Es and ChemEs were in the middle of the pack, and the CivEs were the partiers. These days, its the CivEs making all the serious cash (from all the commerical and residential development), so I guess the jokes on us. I have another bud that went CivE, and makes north of 200k a year doing landscape design.

Nu

 

[av8rbama]

I've got a BS and MS in civil and I've yet to see those big bucks... guess if i'd drop the flying off my repretoire I'd be doing a little better.

For me and my civil friends in school, it was work hard, play harder, then try to work drunk

Hi Mike,

Like you I thought about going Aero E, but the school I went to didn't offer it (majored my first semester in "undecided"). I wound up going Mech E, and didn't regret it at all.

I know a bro from my class who did his Mech E, and then went on to Auburn and got a Masters in Industrial Design (basically architecture for objects), and is making serious $$$ now.

Like Jim said, MechE is fairly universal, and you can tack on some electives if your school allows it.

Heh, that reminds me of the hierarchy at my school. The EEs were the serious, serious brainiacs, the Mech Es and ChemEs were in the middle of the pack, and the CivEs were the partiers. These days, its the CivEs making all the serious cash (from all the commerical and residential development), so I guess the jokes on us. I have another bud that went CivE, and makes north of 200k a year doing landscape design.

Nu