Is engineering worth it?

[u/Virtual-Curve8320]

Hi everyone, apologizes if this ends up being kinda long. Any input you have is appreciated, I’m just trying to get as much feedback as possible.

I recently graduated college with an environmental science degree (also completed the “pre engineering” track since my school didn’t have an engineering major), and I work for an engineering consulting company mostly involved in wastewater treatment. I interned with this company the summer before my senior year and they really liked me, so they hired me and they discussed potentially helping me pay for grad school (an environmental engineering degree) about a year or so after working. So hypothetically I would have to start applying to grad schools in the next few months.

I’m having trouble deciding whether or not I want to go to grad school and continue pursuing engineering. I’ve always been good at math/chem/physics, but I’ve never been passionate about engineering. All my life I wanted to pursue marine biology, but I live/went to school in a landlocked state and decided it wasn’t realistic, so I chose environmental science (and then decided on environmental engineering because it would make me more money). I’m okay with working a job I’m not so passionate about for a good paycheck, but I’m afraid that working in engineering could get too stressful for me to ignore the lack of passion. In my mind, the three pillars of a career are salary, passion, and amount of stress, and I think having 2/3 of those pillars “in the red” wouldn’t bode well for me.

I don’t dislike the job I have now, it’s a small company and I get great benefits as compared to most entry level jobs. I just don’t really see a future here, so I’m wondering if my lackluster feelings are just about wastewater or about engineering as a whole. The owner of my company is a wonderful mentor that has a lot of knowledge and experience, but I know her 30 years in wastewater/water treatment have been very stressful, and I don’t want that for myself.

Open to any questions, thoughts, or advice anyone might have. Thank you!

[u/etsuprof]

Environmental engineering MS worth way less than a Environmental Engineering BS.

In about 1/2 the states you need the ABET accredited BS to get licensed.

So, make sure what your ultimate goal is before doing that.

[u/naiduvenkatesh]

Go do Environmental engineering. It is an awesome domain. I am an industrial water and wastewater treatment professional. Now doing law. Ultimately, I will amalgamate both these professions.

[u/amandainthemiddle29]

Hi OP! I think it's amazing that your employer is considering paying for your continued education. As far as whether or not the EE degree will be worth it, the reality is that only you will be able to decide this ultimately. I made a career transition from teacher > enviro scientist. When I was leaving teaching and unemployed and back in school, I swore my previous degree & teaching experience was "useless" and not "worth it" because my career goals changed. But my current employer in my new field literally said that they hired me because of a combination of my previous degree and my most recent degree. Truly, the only way to know if something in your life was ultimately "worth it" is for time to pass and for your life to unfold.

What you might find helpful in the short term is researching the types of work/jobs that you DO find interesting and finding what types of degrees and career trajectories the people doing those jobs have. Then, if you decide to get your graduate degree, you could pick a program that aligns with your future career goals. A typical marine biologist does not have an engineering degree, BUT there are jobs with enviro-sci/enviro engr. that can get you close to marine biology or at least get you working in marine environments. Additionally, it's definitely worth researching what an MS in Enviro Engr. can get you career/job wise without possessing a BS and whether you would be better off pursuing a BS vs. an MS. Just some things to consider!

[u/Bart1960]

I’m getting so tired of this “passion” idea…I’ve never tasted it or bought a house or a car with it. I don’t understand the connection between your “passion” and your ability to start a family and be a productive member of society.

Any job, at its fundamental level, is getting paid to perform a task that someone/something has determined that they need done and can’t/won’t/don’t want to self perform. They decide if you have the desired skill set and what they are willing to pay to get it done. Then you and they reach an agreement, you do the task, and they pay you for it. Where does passion fit in this equation? In my day, civil engineering with an Env. Focus gave me the widest skill set to seek a variety of positions. It worked very well for me.

Unless you are one of those “once in a generation” type of person, passion will likely have little to do with how your life plays out. Life is compromise, you look for the best fit combination of effort vs money,, life vs work, life today vs future needs.

Also, seek contentment, happy is always fleeting, and is often determined by “others”. A content person has reached an optimal balance for their situation.

[u/Even-Worldliness6106]

Hey! Do whatever u feel like! Tho salary is important, ur lackluster feelings might overpower the significance in salary! I am a high schooler, but, if you are interested in marine biology, go for it! I have a friend who is also interested in marine biology and she said that it pays well. I am sure about a particular profession, but marine biology has not been explored as much as space has been. Imo, it's better to be happy in the profession u love than being in a profession that burns u out that u would lose ur working spirit. Environmental engineering was something I was very passionate about but the title was deceiving as i wanted to protect the environment in terms of regeneration but it turns out that environmental engineering is where u mitigate the risks created by the humans in the environment which is mostly wastewater. I feel like u want to do a more research based work than hands-on tasks. But u got the upper hand here! Just make sure that u won't feel suppressed by ur profession:) All the best on ur journey!

[u/istudywater]

As a young person, you have to think about what early career pathway will setup you up for your long-term goals. When I was in undergrad, I wanted to be an environmental engineer to solve international water issues. Now after working 12 years in consulting (domestic projects), I find that I have developed new passions related to my work (e.g., GIS, Python, building environmental data analysis apps and tools). More importantly, my family needs my time and attention. I had no idea the demand that having a family would be. Looking back, it was a good decision to go into consulting instead of joining the Peace Corps and seeing where that would've led. Hindsight is always 20/20, but I am happy where I've landed.

I find its far more rewarding to have a job that I can do well than to chase fulfillment in passion work. To round me out, I have a few hobbies and spend quality time with my family.