Are you wondering what type of engineering degree you should pursue right now? Aerospace, mechanical, biomedical, civil, electrical? The list goes on! Engineering degrees range from broad to specialized. You’ll even see new engineering programs pop up as technology advances and the need arises. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with options and need some help narrowing them down, I’ve got your back!
A note before we dig in: When I talk about engineering degrees on this site, I’m specifically talking about programs that start out with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. The term “engineering” or “engineer” appears in several other programs or professions. For example, professionals with “Engineering Technology” degrees are typically called technologists or technicians in the workforce. You may also see “engineer” in job titles throughout transportation industries (e.g. a train operator and a ship engine operator may be called an engineer). Those positions typically require specialized on-the-job training and federal certifications. The term “engineering” is also used in a variety of other ways. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with these other career paths, that’s not what I’ll be talking about in this post.
Major engineering branches
If you search for the major branches within engineering, most articles agree with the first four:
- Mechanical engineering
- Civil engineering
- Chemical engineering
- Electrical engineering
Within those branches, you’ll see a large list of sub-groups (like shown on this site). For example, aerospace is listed under mechanical, computer is listed under electrical, and structural is listed under civil.
There’s some argument if there’s a 5th or 6th major branch of engineering. Some say industrial engineering. Some list interdisciplinary engineering as a catch-all for disciplines that don’t quite fit anywhere else. At the end of the day, don’t worry too much about the terminology. Many engineering degrees are related and many are even interchangeable when it comes to applying for a job, especially when you’re early in your career. It’s way more important to focus on the subjects you enjoy learning about and as well as building the skills that will make you a successful engineer.
Selecting the Right Degree: Guiding Questions and Exercises
If you need help narrowing down all those engineering degree options, walk through the following exercises. Remember that these are for you. Be honest with yourself. Ignore what other people say you should or shouldn’t do. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers here. The goal is to find a degree that will increase your opportunities for success.
1. Do you really want to get an engineering degree?
Engineering careers can be lucrative and versatile, but will you be successful if you don’t appreciate your job? Will you be happy if your job doesn’t support your preferred lifestyle? Probably not!
Make sure an engineering career is something you want before we start discussing which engineering degree may be right for you. If you’re not sure engineering is right for you, that’s okay. You may want to start with this career planning page or this engineer vs scientist career page instead of continuing here.
It’s also natural to have some uncertainty in any career you start to pursue, but don’t let that uncertainty hold you back. The intent of this question is simply to make sure you’re pursuing engineering because it’s a career you’re interested in. Avoid pursuing any career just because someone else is pressuring you!
2. What topics interest you outside engineering?
Engineering overlaps with a wide range of other disciplines, so it can help to pair your engineering degree with your other interests.
For example, if you love learning about chemistry, you may want to consider chemical engineering. If you enjoy understanding how automated processes work, you may want to consider industrial engineering. If you’re interested in psychology or kinesiology, you may want to consider human factors engineering. Do your own google research by typing in “[your non-engineering interest] and engineering degree” to give you some ideas.
If you just love engineering and don’t have a preference, mechanical engineering is generally a good place to start. It’s arguably the most versatile and classic engineering degree you can get. Alternatively, pick one of the other major branches we talked about above (civil, chemical, electrical) based on your interests. You can always pursue a more specialized sub-field in one of those major engineering branches later on.
In high school, my interests were mainly focused on theater set design, space, and biology. Pretty diverse, right? But engineers exist in each of those fields! Mechanical or electrical engineers with a specialty in theater design can be an asset in theater or movie productions. Aerospace engineering has a lot of options for people interested in space, from designing rockets to orbital mechanics. Biomedical or genetic engineering fields have a background in biology. I looked into all of those options, but I ultimately settled on aerospace engineering after asking myself some of the additional questions below. If you’re curious, you can learn more about why I chose an aerospace engineering degree here.
3. Research engineering job postings and biographies
Start with the “endgame” in mind. What do you want to do after you earn your degree? No idea? Start looking at job postings!
Find job postings that sound interesting to you and write down what qualifications you would need to apply to that job. Look for trends. Do you see a specific engineering degree that pops up every time? Are there other skills and experiences you see across multiple listings that you’re interested in? LinkedIn is a fantastic resource to get started, but you can also use any search engine or look directly on company websites.
As you look at listings that sound interesting, also take note of the starting salary or salary range (if posted), locations, and other aspects of the job that might be a determining factor for you later on.
Alternatively, look at biographies of people who have a job that you’re interested in. What degree(s) does that person have? What other experiences or skills do they have? While you’re at it (and if the information is available), also look for other life factors that may be important to you. Just keep in mind that you can’t always see the sacrifices they’ve made over the years by looking at a one-page bio. You might read a biography that sounds absolutely amazing, but you might not see the long hours they worked, the family life they sacrificed, or the unique circumstances that helped them advance their career.
You don’t need all the answers today, but you should have a general idea of what you’re interested in doing so you can take that first step. Your career path might change as you learn more over time, and that’s okay! Heck, I’d argue that’s even normal! I certainly didn’t know I wanted to be a spacesuit engineer while applying for colleges… I didn’t even know that was a career option yet. But, I was already leaning towards doing something related to human space exploration. That was enough to lead me to aerospace engineering and Purdue University. I figured out the rest as I went along. Note: you can see more on my career path here.
Pro tip: repeat this exercise throughout your career, not just when you’re starting out. This exercise can help you advance your career later on. It can even help you shift career paths if you want to try something new.
4. Research job market prospects and salaries
Luckily, most engineering fields have a positive outlook on job growth. Look up job growth statistics for the engineering fields you’re considering, including projected percent increase and a total number of available jobs. For example, this article lists out a few of the fastest-growing engineering fields today. Choosing an engineering degree that has good hiring potential in the future will not only increase your chances of getting hired but can also boost your career advancement options down the road.
Take a look at starting salaries, median salaries, and earning potential. Learn how wages vary, even within the same occupation. When you look at the latest statistics, see if there are salary differences based on education (BS, MS, PhD) and experience (entry, mid, senior). Keep location in mind too. That can impact your opportunities and your salary due to the cost of living.
5. Focus on specific locations or colleges
Is location important to you? Maybe you need to stay close to your family. Maybe you received a scholarship that can only be used in a specific region or at a specific college. Maybe you’re determined to go to school as far away from your hometown as possible. Whatever situation you’re in, your desire to be in a certain location or to go to a specific college might narrow down the options for you.
So, if the location is a driver for you, instead of researching engineering degrees right away, it may help to focus on the college you want to attend or a region you want to live in first. What engineering programs are offered? Is that college known for its engineering programs? Look at the college’s track record. How many students get jobs in an engineering field after they graduate? What are their median starting salaries? Check out this college selection checklist for more.
6. Narrow it down later
Some colleges, like Purdue University, don’t make you pick a specific engineering discipline the first year. This allows you additional time to learn about their different engineering programs and to get to know some of the professors before making a decision. Use that extra time to learn about what kind of engineering jobs are out there after you graduate. Find opportunities to work on real engineering projects or get an internship (yes, these opportunities are even available to first-year students!).
Even if you go to a college where you need to declare a specific engineering degree right away or you’re already years into your degree, engineering degrees have some flexibility. Let me show you a few examples based on where you are in life today:
- First and second-year undergraduates: The first 1-2 years you’ll usually take courses that can apply to almost any engineering degree (and even some other related STEM degrees depending on the program). So, if you change your mind during this period it should be pretty easy to shift your degree without much (or any) time lost. This is especially true if you stay within one of the major engineering branches we talked about above, such as switching between mechanical and aerospace engineering. Take some time to talk to a career advisor at your school. They will be able to show you options based on your unique circumstances.
- Third-year and above undergraduates: As you start to take classes that are specialized for a specific degree, it may be harder to switch programs. But remember that many engineering degrees are related. At this point, instead of worrying about the name of your degree, focus on what skills you need to get into the engineering job you want later (also read ‘advice to new engineers’). If you’re having doubts or if you’re struggling with your current curriculum, reach out to your career advisor. They may have some great suggestions for you. Your advisor is one of your best resources, so use them to your advantage! I met with mine regularly, at least once a semester, even when I didn’t have anything big to discuss. Don’t like your advisor? I bet there are other advisors or professors at your school willing to help you out! Don’t be afraid or too stubborn to ask for help.
- Masters and PhD programs: You don’t necessarily need to pick the same field you choose for your BS. You may even decide to get a degree outside of engineering to complement your engineering degree. Focus on picking a program that will give you the skills to succeed in the career you want later. And, of course, make sure you find the subject interesting so you can stay engaged in your classes/thesis… even when the going gets tough.
Don’t over-analyze it!
After you’ve gone through the exercises above, stop over-analyzing it. Don’t let all the engineering degree options make you anxious or stress you out.
I chose aerospace engineering because I wanted to focus on classes that would teach me about rockets, airplanes, and orbital mechanics. I thought it would help keep my interest throughout my degree because I found subjects around space fascinating (and I was right, it definitely helped). That being said, I could have gotten the exact same job I’m in today if I had pursued any number of engineering degrees like mechanical, industrial, or electrical engineering. I want to emphasize this again: engineering degrees have a lot of flexibility, especially early in your career.
So, don’t be paralyzed with indecision. Take the first step now. You can always re-evaluate and adjust your path as you learn more about engineering and about yourself.
You got this!