A bachelor’s degree was the first step in your career as a mechanical engineer, but you might be wondering: what’s next?

Mechanical engineering has a lot of options, especially if you’re ready for graduate school. With a master’s degree, you can advance to a specialized field, earn a higher salary, and build strong professional connections.

A master’s degree isn’t cheap or quick, but there’s still a lot of pros to attending graduate school. Check out our list of costs and benefits to see if a master’s degree is right for you:

Costs

The Time

Let’s face it: a graduate program is a big time commitment. It can take anywhere between 2-4 years to complete. And if you’re taking classes, you might not have time to work or spend time with family. So what are you supposed to do for 2+ years if you’re too busy for a job or a family? Thankfully, there’s plenty of graduate programs out there that can offer you flexibility:

• Join an Online Program: A lot of graduate programs will offer online classes. You can complete the course on your time and schedule and still have enough time for home and work.
  
• Take Night Classes: You might be able to find a graduate program that offers night classes to help you attend school and work at the same time. It’ll fill up your schedule, but leave your days open.
  
• Attend Part Time: You can take just 1 or 2 courses at a time to give you the flexibility you need to work or care for your family. It might take longer to complete your program but you’ll have time for your other responsibilities.
  
• Find a Self-Paced Program: Some schools can offer a self-paced program, where you have time to complete the course at your own pace. You can start when you want, make your own deadlines, and study when you can.

The Money

You’ve probably heard that graduate school costs an arm and a leg. Depending on where you go and where you are in life, that might be true. You could be quitting your job, moving to a new state, finding childcare, supporting your family, and paying for a whole bunch of expenses. But you might be able to avoid some of these costs if you:

• Find an Assistantship/Fellowship: Many graduate programs will offer assistantships or fellowships. In exchange for time doing research or teaching, they’ll pay your tuition and give you a stipend.
  
• Join an Online Program: Some master’s degrees are entirely online, and this can help you learn from wherever you are, whenever you want. You won’t have to worry about moving or quitting your job.
  
• Apply for Scholarships & Loans: Scholarships and loans aren’t just for undergrads! Some institutions will offer them to graduate students, too. Start looking at scholarship websites and talking to your bank to see what they can offer you.
  
• See If Your Employer Will Pay: Your employer might pay for your graduate degree. The expertise you earn in school can improve your work, so talk to your employer about going back to school!

The Experience

Pursuing a graduate degree can take time away from work, where you earn real experience and advance in your career. Choosing a master’s over more work experience can be a difficult decision, especially when salary, experience, and benefits sounds a lot more appealing. However, with a graduate degree, you will still:

• Work with Experienced Engineers: Your professors were engineers long before they turned to teaching. They can share their experience with you!
  
• Network with Other Professionals: Talk with your classmates and make valuable connections. Your school will have exclusive career fairs to give you access to industry leaders.
  
• Increase Your Salary Potential: A mechanical engineer with a master’s degree can get higher paying jobs in specialized fields.
  
• Qualify for Advanced Positions: A master’s degree in mechanical engineering can qualify you for management or lead positions as an engineer.

Benefits

Enter a New Field

A lot of fields for mechanical engineering require advanced degrees, and a master’s degree allows you to specialize in what you want. You can even advance to a Ph.D. and teach at the university. Or, armed with research, high level courses, and experienced mentors, you can find work in fields like:

• Aerospace engineering
• Biomechanics
• Nanotechnology
• Robotics
• Renewable energy
• And more!

Earn a Higher Pay

With a master's degree, you open the door to a higher salary. The extra years you spend studying make you an expert in your field. This advanced knowledge is incredibly valuable to employers, so investing now will be well worth it. Your higher education makes you a more valuable employee, leading to better job offers and a bigger paycheck.

Build a Stronger Network

When you attend graduate school, you have a whole new network of professionals open to you. You’ll meet experienced professors, potential employers, and industry experts. Take the time to attend events and career fairs, and you’ll have even more valuable contacts. With a bigger and stronger professional network, you can land your dream job in any industry.

What’s Right For Me?

Graduate school may not be right for everyone, but if you want a better job in a specialized field and a strong professional network, it might be right for you. It will be a major investment of your time and money, but a master’s in mechanical engineering can get you where you want to be.

Sources:

https://www.usu.edu/degrees-majors/mechanical-engineering_ms_phd
https://www.merrimack.edu/content/mechanical-engineer-salary-growth/
https://www.seattleu.edu/science-engineering/academic-departments/department-of-mechanical-engineering/mechanical-engineering-ms/