I need to answer this in two parts - bear with me. in the fall because I believe I'll need more advanced coursework to prepare me for the more interesting engineering consulting tasks. Where I work, you could have your degree in Engineering, but without the EIT, you are not considered an Engineer. Yes - civil engineering (and structural engineering) is still worth it! Also, which branch of environmental en. The work is on water supply and treatment and resource management. Go civil and do a focus on environmental as it will let you be more flexible with jobs. Environmental engineering at my old school was being pushed hard as the next big craze. Environmental engineers are still in demand and have a good future in the US. The dawn of modern environmental engineering occurred in mid-1800's. I am working as a graduate civil site engineer on a tier 1 construction project. This is a guest post by Joel Erway, EIT, author of 30-Minute EIT: How to beat the FE exam without beating your head. Most of … I did a civil and environmental dual major and graduated in December last year. Please respond to this with your honest opinions. I majored in Environmental Engineering, at my school it was very closely tied with Civil but just enabled more of a focus on water resources, air, advanced chemistry and other environmental based courses. With those factors in mind, here are five degrees that are generally worth the money spent earning them. Engineering is one of the top-paying careers available today. Recommended. As you study civil engineering, it’s worth thinking about the career you want to end up in, so that you can focus your learning and training as specifically as possible. I've seen some negative comments on it and I just want to make sure that I'm choosing a career that won't keep me in college debt for too long. Graduated in five years with a degree in Environmental Engineering, passed the FE in my last semester and did an internship for the entirety of my Summer/Fall semester. AskEngineers is a forum for questions about the technologies, standards, and processes used to design & build these systems, as well as for questions about the engineering profession and its many disciplines. Good luck getting a traffic engineer job with an environmental engineering degree. Then many of them lose interest when they realize that environmental engineering is more about less sexy concerns like water purification, sewage treatment, building ventilation, landfill design, smokestack emissions, etc. I would recommend getting undergraduate degree in traditional engineering role. in environmental engineering, got my EIT, and interned at a local utility's engineering department. Do what interests you - that industry is growing and expanding slowly, so who knows the niche you could find yourself in. For any engineering discipline, I'd recommend at least an MS. Jan 28, 2012 #7 garbiiiiis. Is becoming an environmental engineer worth it? Do an undergrad in civil or chemical with some electives in environmental. Could be about the specific work you've done or past textbooks you really enjoyed. What was your starting salary/current salary? It deals with the design of technologies and processes that control pollution releases and clean up existing contamination. read more . For the next 8 years the growth is anticipated to be 12% and there are over 55,000 jobs. Environmental engineering programs from different universities may focus on various themes but all of them encompasses these three important topics, namely, environmental fluid mechanics, air and water quality engineering and human health. Environmental engineering can be subsets of chemical or civil engineering depending on what you choose to specialize in. I have fully designed projects from scratch and trained staff in all aspects of Civil engineering. I appreciate what the environmental courses helped set me up with, and also realize your degree won’t exactly become your line of work! I work for a large consulting firm and my work is very heavy in water treatment process design, including hydraulics, chemical, physical, and biological treatment. An MBA at a storied institution such as Harvard or Stanford will easily run you above $60k per year. I think it ended up not being as exciting as people thought. 28 0. As an ag engineer with a specialization in land and water resource systems engineering, ir sucks to not be something like civil or mechanical. Here at Engineering Management Institute, we highly recommend our friend and sponsor, PPI, for your FE exam review.As an exclusive benefit to our supporters, PPI has extended a 20% discount on their exam review materials. Environmental engineering is a field of engineering concerned with improvement and protection of the environment. It may be worth it to you if you have the drive and passion to keep up with the heavy load. It is an interesting and challenging job, but I am looking to find a position with an environmental aspect. Environmental engineering is the branch of engineering that is concerned with protecting people from the effects of adverse environmental effects, such as pollution, as well as improving environmental quality. My 2¢, 100% agree with this. I took that degree into Civil/Water infrastructure internships and job. in environmental engineering, got my EIT, and interned at a local utility's engineering department. Environmental engineering is a relatively new discipline. Engineering. It depends on you. Petroleum engineering departments have seen a huge influx in students over the past several years and they are warning industry and incoming students of the pending engineering glut (whenever that does happen). Press J to jump to the feed. I really enjoy it and am lucky to have my job -- the actual design positions available in environmental engineering are hard to come by, even though about all you can do with the degree is consulting (eventually can work in mfg or industry, but you'd need the consulting experience first). The 25 Best Jobs of 2021. Working for the state of CA as part of teams working to restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and rivers vital to andronmous fish. Is becoming an environmental engineer worth it? When I graduated I got a job at a consulting firm (focused on water resources) and I'm currently prepping for the civil PE this October! You can almost always do an environmental engineers job with a civil degree, but not the other way around imo. I have one friend that got out of it and it took a while. Pursuing a PhD would make sense for fields like English, where career options in the private sector are highly limited and therefore the PhD a much better option. I've worked my ass off in college and even after college. This 100%. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the EngineeringStudents community, Continue browsing in r/EngineeringStudents. This sounds so awesome, do you have any literature on the subject you recommend? I've seen some negative comments on it and I just want to make sure that I'm choosing a career that won't keep me in college debt for too long. Job opportunities are fewer and farther between and you’re constantly explaining what your degree actually is. Undergraduate degrees outside of EE, ME, Civil, or Chemical are really just a pigeon hole without the advancement opportunity. The top-paying engineering specialties are petroleum, chemical and electrical engineering. Graduated with a b.s. Work may include waste treatment, site remediation, or pollution control technology.. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Most of my classmates work for utilities, or consulting. Environmental Engineering is also the branch of applied science & technology that addresses the problem of preservation of energy, reducing waste from human and animal activities & production asset. Environmental Engineering Technician. Environmental engineering is a job type that is a professional engineering discipline and takes from broad scientific topics like chemistry, biology, ecology, geology, hydraulics, hydrology, microbiology, and mathematics to create solutions that will protect and also improve the health of living organisms and improve the quality of the environment. I'm older than most students: I'll be 30 when I start there, with 2-3 years left in my degree plan, depending on internships, etc. One of the most basic analyses for balancing out the worth of the all-mighty MBA comes down to dollars and cents. The cost of attaining that coveted acronym is no mere chump change. Would have been better if I knew what I wanted from the start but better making the switch earlier than later if possible. Go broad, become niche later. Engineers apply the knowledge of math & science to design and manufacture maintainable systems used to solve specific problems. I graduated in 2011, recieved my EIT in 2010 and PE in 2016. Worked for two years for a consulting firm doing mostly brownfield remediation and realized I really didn't enjoy working in the field. My experience: I am a licensed Civil Engineer and (almost licensed as a Land Surveyor, one more 4 hour test) in CA with about 10 years part time experience and 4 years full time experience. More posts from the AskEngineers community. Search All Jobs. I agree with others- get a civil degree and maybe a chemistry minor (talk to the chem staff to make sure this is tailored to your needs not some pre-med). Sia, Chicago. For anyone looking to go into environmental, this is the course I would recommend. The reason that I say this is because ENVE is dealing with a far more complex series of systems than any other engineering discipline. I work at a large civil (like ENR top 20) firm that does environmental engineering among many other things on an international basis from the US. My graduate department is declining students at rates they have never seen before, accepting around 10%. Environmental engineers work to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and water and air pollution control, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Civil Engineering Salaries Survey [UPDATE 2] Alright - so I wanted to let this simmer a bit and see how many responses we could get to before seriously sitting down and providing a bit of analysis. Our largest concern right now is creating more habitat for aquatic species and ensuring adequate fish passage to upstream spawning areas. Is a Civil Engineering degree worth it? I've been thinking about going into environmental engineering, but I've seen many mixed descriptions on it as I search through the internet. Here is what a typical day’s work for an Environmental Engineer looks like: Found out I was able to transfer half of my credits towards an electrical and computer engineering bachelor's and am about to graduate in a year. That's pretty cool. Now am a Staff Wastewater Engineer in CA. Work closely with environmental engineers and scientists to develop methods and devices used in the prevention, control, or correction of environmental hazards. 1. Sponsored by. Thank you! Same as the other engineering programs, a degree in environmental engineering requires problem-solving skills, a good aptitude for sciences and … It's very good degree in environmental engineering if you gain better knowledge during your degree programme​. Environmental engineering is the sister field of civil engineering and involves integrating engineering principles and science to improve natural environment and to protect it while providing potable water, clean air and sustainable life for humans and other organisms. It also have a very good scope and the demand of environmental engineers is increasing dramatically. Added Sunday, July 17, 2016 at 10:59 PM . Press J to jump to the feed. www.asce.org We have a lot of infrastructure - much of which needs repairing and upgrading, and there is a lot to be developed. Median Salary: $50,620. Environmental engineers will need at least a bachelor's degree in civil, chemical, environmental or general engineering. Careers. Air pollution control, waste water treatment, hazardous waste management, industrial and drinking water treatment, and solid waste management are the main areas of emphasis within environmental engineering. Another option is becoming an environmental scientist for an environmental engineering firm or finding a job at a farming and agricultural organization, Turk says. Thanks to all of you! 0 0. Only one thing is required that is knowledge along your degree. There is also different kinds of treatment plants which adds some process engineering, which is what I'd really like to get more experience with. In recent years, costs for higher education have well outpaced the rate of inflation, and the MBA degree is no exception. 1.4K views Maybe in the future I'll merge the two together. Very applicable and practical. I've recently been accepted into the Environmental Engineering program at the University of Florida for the Fall 2014 semester. I think you often get asked what environmental engineers do. Source: quora.com. Please respond to this with your honest opinions. Actually, the Environmental Engineering discipline is significantly different from any of the other engineering disciplines, with the possible exception of Geotechnical Engineering. Graduated in 2013 and got my EIT. Environmental engineering is the branch of engineering that focuses on protecting the environment by reducing waste and pollution. Best Answers. Or Civil Engineers doing an emphasis on environmental engineering. There isn’t a ton of design work - the system designs are pretty routine and prepackaged for a lot of the work. Thank you! It’s fairly easy to leverage a civil engineering degree to basically any civil or environmental position out there. It may be worth it if you want the extra knowledge base and are that interested in gaining it. I'm a stormwater engineer for a city in Texas. Why has no one answered this thread :( I'm going into my fourth year in environmental engineering and I am super curious. This kind of attitude makes waves in our non-engineering peers who do not experience the same stress, leaving an impression that engineering students are such whiners. Those are very portable. I’d do pretty much any other type of engineering, Environmental sounds great, but it’s pretty basic work that usually revolves around helping oil companies drill more. I just want to know, is environmental engineering worth it salary-wise, and enjoyment wise? When I graduated I got a job at a consulting firm (focused on water resources) and I'm currently prepping for the civil PE this October! Environmental science involves a lot of basic science, as well as the role humans have played into the current shape of the Earth. Even you are JUST an Engineer in Training, you are still an Engineer. The industry is expected to grow about 3% by 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is common among engineering students to complain how hard the course is, and that we are all so tired of studying. The field is also dedicated to improving environmental conditions through remediation. I studied civil with a focus in environmental and I work on a lot of remediation projects for a consultant, cleaning up old manufacturing sites mostly. Most have civil degrees and strong chemistry backgrounds. Another crucial task tackled by environmental engineering is that of cleaning up polluted areas/sites. Related to Choosing a Degree, Environmental. Get into hydraulic modeling if you want to get into this type of work. It involves engineering, chemistry, geology, into policy and history classes. Environmental engineers use knowledge of engineering, soil science, chemistry, and biology to solve problems in the environment.They tackle a variety of issues, and their concerns include pollution control, recycling, and public health issues. Environmental Engineers research, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards using various engineering disciplines. Environmental … This is a place for engineering students of any discipline to discuss study methods, get homework help, get job search advice, and find a compassionate ear when you get a 40% on your midterm after studying all night. Depends what direction you take it, but the true Environmental Engineering work I’ve seen is a huge focus on preproject site visits, research, and impact statement work (which is a lot of writing/documentation). I'm wondering if there are any real benefits to getting a PhD in Engineering. In fact, some of the earliest engineering projects included thinkers pushing for the consideration of how this engineering project would affect those working on it and the environment. Get a regular engineering degree and specialize later. That all being said, I'm going back to get my M.S. Environmental engineers use the principles of engineering, biology, chemistry & soil science to increase solutions to environmental problems. If you get into environmental consulting and still like it, work on your masters in environmental engineering. Most of the work was water management and consulting oil&gas on environmental regulations. But are you allowed to tell people that? Is environmental engineering worth pursuing? If you’re interested in classical environmental engineering get a BS in civil and take two/three environmental engineering courses, even at a graduate level. I work on the civil side of the office, but people who deal strictly in environmental are generally very skilled in chemistry, hydrology(groundwater), and/or geology. We get hundreds of applications for every entry level design role. I don't see any signs that US society is relaxing its standards for, say, tap water or waste disposal. Much happier in the tech field and have been seeing improvements to my overall quality of life and interests. Of course having an EIT is worth something. Some sites say that there will be a 30% growth in the number of jobs in the next 10 years, and others say that environmental engineers struggle to find a jobs and their major is a joke. is more lucrative, utilities or consulting? ‘Engineering’ is an incredibly broad concept with numerous specialisations within it; likewise, ‘civil engineering’ is a beast in itself, containing its own specialisations that form part of its whole. It may be worth it if you have the extra time to pursue the added classes. Is the job worth it? A lot of people fall into permitting work, groundwater sampling, or health & safety. Obviously, a lot of work and time goes into getting a PhD. Environmental engineering is almost as old as civilization. I just want to know, is environmental engineering worth it salary-wise, and enjoyment wise? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, University of Queensland - Civil and Environmental. And…it may be worth it if you’re not that worried about your 4.0 sGPA potentially dropping to a 3.7. Geology has certainly seen a influx in students since I entered undergrad. Engineering FAQ; Resource FAQ; Why Be An Engineer; Submit An Answer. I am thinking about becoming an environmental engineer. Graduated with a b.s. Civil Engineering...worth the struggle? 4.0 sGPA potentially dropping to a 3.7 an interesting and challenging job, but i am to!, i 'd recommend at least a bachelor 's degree in environmental engineering at. 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