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Started By
Message
re: Engineering Career Advice - Mechanical, Chemical, Petroleum
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:01 am to phutureisyic
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:01 am to phutureisyic
quote:
Electrical engineers are nowhere near on the same pay scale as Chemical Engineers. Electrical is the bottom of the barrel when it comes to engineering degrees and it's boring as shite. I've been in the oil & gas business for 20 yrs and have an ME degree along with a drafting degree.
Yeah.....you'd be wrong about that. The data doesn't support that.
Here are some actual data points for you:
Elec = Chemical
US News top 10 majors
Payscale.com Elec = Chem
There are many others out there if you wish to look.
2
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:01 am to Gray12
quote:
Not even Exxon’s total compensation is above $110k. Any total compensation above $120k is BS. Your roommate is messing with you.
This is not true if you include bonus. Especially not true if you include a signing bonus (well, if they are still giving those in 2019..)
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:02 am to jcliv
quote:
Chemical engineering
I'd encourage him to go in this direction.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:05 am to TheIndulger
My buddy got 130 from shell but that was 2011. He also was a dual major and top of his class at LSU.
OP, do not go Pete, I am in O&G.
Chemical if he can hack it followed by mechanical and electrical.
OP, do not go Pete, I am in O&G.
Chemical if he can hack it followed by mechanical and electrical.
This post was edited on 8/15/19 at 9:07 am
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:05 am to jcliv
quote:
Son starts school at Clemson next week. Mechanical engineering is a possibility but he also keeps talking about Petroleum or Chemical engineering. I'm ignorant of the long term prospects in PE versus ME or CE. Clemson is also not in PetroChem country so maybe that's an issue. Opinions appreciated.
Unrelated footnote: Great Grandpa is an ME from LSU(1930s), Grandpa is CE from LSU (1969). Geaux Tigers.
Chemical probably has the best overall income potential if he stays in engineering vs management in the workforce. Petroleum pays the best but the longevity of the field is suspect and a degree in either Chem or Mech could get them in the Petroleum group at most O&G companies (Pet E is a lot like a hybrid mechanical/chemical engineering degree anyway).
Mechanical is probably a more versatile starting point but that doesn't make it better.
I have a Mechanical degree but have done Control Systems my entire career. I like Mechanical and would recommend it to anyone. But if a person thinks they can handle the chemistry (I hated chemistry), I think that is probably the better option. I would also consider the region a person would like to live and work in. On that note Mechanical and Electrical will generally get you a job in any area.
Those are the things he should think about. Long and short of what I said, if I take a non-emotional approach I would recommend chemical but I don't think he could go wrong with chemical, mechanical or electrical.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:06 am to Hu_Flung_Pu
quote:You are correct. They move up to 104th in undergraduate studies.
That's grad school
The truth of the matter is if you do well in the curriculum, and are a hard worker, you will more than likely get a good job having graduated from any top 125 engineering school.
LINK
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:06 am to notsince98
quote:
Yeah.....you'd be wrong about that. The data doesn't support that.
He said he was a flangehead, you can't expect them to know much.
They always shite on us sparkies. 
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:07 am to Gray12
quote:I graduated in '08 and several guys that I graduated with got jobs with majors making 6 figures base pay
Not even Exxon’s total compensation is above $110k
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:09 am to jcliv
Mechanical or Chemical
Petroleum is too specialized and the industry is too volatile
Petroleum is too specialized and the industry is too volatile
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:10 am to Gray12
quote:
Even when the market is great for petroleum engineers, most baws only make $70k their first few years working for the service companies. It’s $70k with 90 hour work weeks. After taxes, that’s almost nothing. Don’t let that high income promised fool you. Only the top 10% people in your class, chicks, extremely diverse people and those with solid connections land that over $90k with Shell, Exxon, etc with 40 hour work weeks. More than 80% of people are working for $12 an hour at schlumberger and Halliburton.
You seem confused
I would agree with not majoring in PETE however
This post was edited on 8/15/19 at 9:17 am
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:14 am to jcliv
I graduated from Clemson in ME and know those departments well. ME is by far the strongest at Clemson.
Seriously consider another school for Chem E or Petroleum.
As far as long term, mechanical is considered more general while the others are more specific. That usually translates into the Chem E and Pet E industries being apt to hiring MEs. Not always the case the other way around,
These are just generalities though and there are a ton more variables at play.
Seriously consider another school for Chem E or Petroleum.
As far as long term, mechanical is considered more general while the others are more specific. That usually translates into the Chem E and Pet E industries being apt to hiring MEs. Not always the case the other way around,
These are just generalities though and there are a ton more variables at play.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:17 am to Sun God
Lithette #3 (no pics way outta all you bars league) got a few job offers in CE from LSU over 110K.
Nephew is at A&M with PE and Finance and is getting huge offers
Nephew is at A&M with PE and Finance and is getting huge offers
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:18 am to jcliv
quote:
Clemson is also not in PetroChem country so maybe that's an issue. Opinions appreciated.
How much research have you done? Clemson doesn't have a petroleum engineering degree program.
It comes down to what he likes, what industry he wants to work in, and where he wants to work geographically. If he wants to work on the Gulf Coast then ME and ChE will get him a high paying job with awesome security and a great work/life balance (dependent on the employer). PetE will get him a higher paying job (unless it's with a service company) with volatility and a poor home life with lots of travel. In Louisiana and Texas, there's no better degree to have than ChE or ME.
ChE's dominate chemical mfg jobs and refinery operations. ME's can get the same to some degree but are more versatile and have access to textiles and solid goods mfg and more varied design opportunities.
ChE curriculum involves a blend of physics and chemistry. See reaction kinetics and transport phenomena.
ME curriculum involves a lot of mechanics. See thermodynamics and mechanics of materials.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:20 am to WildManGoose
Transport Phenomena was my LEAST favorite class. Hated it.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:21 am to WildManGoose
quote:
PetE will get him a higher paying job (unless it's with a service company) with volatility and a poor home life with lots of travel
Bingo. I made a shite ton of money but I was out of town 250+ days a year
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:21 am to ForeverLSU02
You know who is getting those $130k and even above $150k total compensation starting out at Exxon and other big operators, it’s all those computer science majors from MIT, Stanford and even UT Austin.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:26 am to Gray12
Ah okay. You’re one of those guys
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:28 am to jcliv
ME is incredibly diverse and will provide the most options after graduation, but Chemical isn’t far behind it in that category. It is a bit more focused in its curriculum than ME.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:28 am to jcliv
Go with ME or CE. As said you can go into Petroleum with either of those, but not necessarily the other way around.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 9:29 am to jcliv
long term prospects? about 5-7 years after first employment decision will be required,,,technical ladder or managerial ladder. in an operating company chemical degree followed by mech/pet eng. in an engr. /tech services co mech followed by chem/pet eng.....while all three engr curriculums have about 85%simular course content, pet engr. will have have a much smaller market.
computer courses are necessary
many engrs. have trouble with economics and accounting..basically they do not understand that profit is what is left over after sales and production costs. profit is the only reason for private companies to exist.
I graduated from LSU Che in 1970. the teaching staff from that period was outstanding
computer courses are necessary
many engrs. have trouble with economics and accounting..basically they do not understand that profit is what is left over after sales and production costs. profit is the only reason for private companies to exist.
I graduated from LSU Che in 1970. the teaching staff from that period was outstanding
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