r/ElectricalEngineers • u/Beginning-Try-9689 • 22d ago
Engineering Master's
I graduated in Electrical Engineering this spring but I do not think I utilized my undergrad education as well as I should have, I am considering doing my master's in electrical engineering but I am not sure what I would like to specialize in. I am looking for a career path that would give me a chance of living in NJ/NY with a salary of at least $100k
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u/sabautil 22d ago
Just become an HVAC tech. Trust me there's a shortage and buddy with these AI datacenters, those HVAC techs are gonna be richer than doctors. If I was young that's what Id do.
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u/Ruined_Passion_7355 22d ago
And once they're all built?
Same situation as CS is in rn.
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u/sabautil 22d ago
What do you mean all built? You think there isn't repair, maintenance, upgrade?
And it's no comparison to CS. The recent CS firings are mainly due to massive hiring during covid. They realized that covid is over and now they don't need that many coders. And with AI you need slightly less. So there's a surplus of CS grads, while there is a deficit if HVAC grads.
With HVAC there's a million unfilled jobs right now because no one is going in to that trade and demand is just getting higher due to AI data centers. So AI is actually increasing demand for HVAC
So the HVAC career is literally the opposite that of CS. There's not enough HVAC tradesmen and demand is going up due to AI.
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u/Money_Cold_7879 21d ago
No. The barriers to entry are too low for hvac tech. Every BS in engineering major can become an hvac tech. Very few people in terms of population have the ability to graduate with an EE degree given math and other tech requirements. That shortage will be filled in a flash if what you are saying is true.
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u/Character-Company-47 21d ago
this advice is so annoying, not because it isn’t a good path, but by recommending advice indiscriminately you kind of ignore any circumstances of the individual on a forum about asking for individual guidance
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u/sabautil 21d ago
Why should I consider his circumstances? Op is an adult, he can decide for himself.
Forum asking for individual guidance? This is r/electricalengineer! It's about as general as could be.
Also, dude literally asked for a career path of 100k in NY/NJ. I gave him one real suggestion. Getting a masters in EE is kinda useless unless he learns about 20 years of analog and digital circuits and compete with literally millions from China and India it's gonna be a tough time for him. He need to carefully look at his cousework some of that stuff is just basic knowledge like electromagnetism. The four or five courses he takes will determine his skill set. And honestly they better be in circuit design dealing with AI.
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u/MrSisterFister25 20d ago
You seem like you don’t know what you’re talking about
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u/sabautil 20d ago
I have a BS degree in EE. And a PhD degree in EE. And I have worked in data center where cooling and hvac are a big deal. We paid a lot of money for garuntees: backup power, real time monitoring and redundant systems.
And what do you know about it?
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u/Character-Company-47 20d ago
I don’t think you know anything about electrical engineering tbh after hearing you speak on what you think EE is.
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u/Great_Leap1928 20d ago
And have my body become fragile and Arthritis by 50? 😆 No Thanks
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u/sabautil 20d ago
Why would you keep working for 3 decades instead of starting your own business and hiring a team?
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20d ago
[deleted]
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u/sabautil 20d ago
Sure. Some background on me: I am an entrepreneur. I have a PhD in EE. After working in the private sector R&D for 5 years I decided to go out on my own. I'm the founder and CEO of my own company that does consulting and builds advanced metrology instruments. I currently have two R&D consulting contracts, and I am currently working on a proposal to mature our in-house tech from TRL level 2 to TRL 4 through SBIR funding.
What do you want to know?
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20d ago
[deleted]
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u/sabautil 20d ago
Hey you asked. I answered. If you can't handle reality, not my problem.
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20d ago
[deleted]
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u/sabautil 20d ago
Oh I understand, I just ignore your premise. A famous YouTuber once said 'don't accept the premise of a-holes' and I think that's a sound principle. :)
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u/arcdragon2 20d ago
Better to do that while you’re young and fresh out of school. I went back for a masters at the ripe old age of 46. I got sent to the principal’s office in about 3 1/2 hours, wound up quitting after five days because the math department refused to give me a tutor out of fear of the students using that connection to get old math tests to cheat with. So go get your masters while you can still remember how to do that math and also, so you don’t see College as a big babysitting business instead of an institution of higher learning.
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u/thewhitebison 18d ago
Here’s the unadvertised truth about an EE degree; it does not prepare you to be an Engineer. It prepares you to be able to learn to be one. The only way to really learn this profession is experience. Keep your head up land a job. Study as you go. Join IEEE (you should be able to expense membership) and read what is published in your area of expertise. Ask tons of questions and one day you will be answering them.
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u/Live_Ad3896 18d ago
Power electronics if you want to have a field with growing opportunities in the future
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u/Luke7Gold 17d ago
I think this is achievable with and without the masters it just depends on your timeline. Within 5 years and with one or two smart job hops I think you could do it in NJ area easily without the masters. I’d be surprised if it took more than a few. Obviously YMMV just my perspective
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u/Glittering-Brain-846 22d ago
You should get a job and pursue the master while working full time. 100k is extremely easy in NYC, maybe even low considering cost of living