PE License or Graduate School?
Should you pursue a Professional Engineering license or go to graduate school? This a question many people ask after they graduate from an undergraduate engineering program.
The truth is that you cannot compare the two. For one, you cannot pursue your PE license immediately after graduating from college. Most state authorities require you to have some years of industry experience before you can sit for the PE exam.
You can take the Fundamentals in Engineering (FE) exam right out of college. The final year of college or a short time after graduating is the best time to take this test. The closer you are from the time of graduation when you take the FE exam, the better. The concepts you learned in school should still be fresh in your mind. It makes it much easier to prepare for and pass the test.
Passing the FE exam is the first step towards obtaining a PE license. Taking the GRE is the first step towards graduate school. It is also advisable to take this exam as soon as possible after completing your undergraduate degree. It will be easier to pass the exam with many of the concepts from your school years still fresh in your mind.
You do not have to choose to take the GREs or the FE test. You can do both. They require minimal investment in terms of time and money. Taking the exam does not require you to pursue a graduate degree or a PE license. Taking both tests leaves you with options about where to go next.
Deciding on your path
Before you decide on the path to pursue, it is best to get some work experience. After all, how will you truly know what your field is like without having industry experience? Working is also the best way to learn. There are some things that you can only really learn when in the field.
Many engineers try to determine whether it is worth pursuing a PE or a graduate degree and make the mistake of comparing the value of each. Each path offers great value only if you can maximize what they have to offer. The best way to decide which direction to take is to determine what your career goals are.
If you want to eventually become a researcher or lecturer in your chosen field of engineering, pursuing a graduate degree would be valuable.
Graduate degrees may not make sense in some engineering fields. For example, if you are pursuing a career as a civil engineer working on government contracts, a graduate degree may not be as valuable as a Civil Engineering PE license. The type of work you will be doing will require signing off on engineering designs and documents. A Civil Engineering PE license is required to do that.
However, if you want to become a specialist in a specific area, such as geotechnical or structural engineering, you will need a masters’ degree to get an entry-level position. You will require a license if you want to eventually set up your own company and work as a contractor or consultant. A PE license will give you greater autonomy in your career.
You must know what your career goals are. What are the requirements for achieving your goal? Does the goal require a graduate degree? Do you need a license to sign off on documents? What do employers and clients value? Research the background of current engineers in your field of choice.
Pursuing a graduate degree will give you more career options. However, it can be costly, especially if you do not have a scholarship or other forms of funding. It also takes longer to get the qualification. However, recognition and career advancement are worth the investment.
Obtaining a PE license is not an easy process. Students will have to maintain focus and commit to a strict study schedule to prepare for the PE exam. There is a financial cost to register and purchase materials for preparation. Not very many students pass the exam on their first attempt.
The path you choose should be in line with your career goals. Some people pursue both PE licensing and graduate degrees. It is really about what works best for your plans. For more information visit: https://www.schoolofpe.com/pe/