I have used the search button many times trying to find the real world difference between ME and MET in the Houston surrounding areas. I am looking to transfer to U of H for the spring semester for the engineer program and have the tech program as a secondary degree just incase I don't get accepted. I have read some threads on here that if an applicant has the tech degree they will be over looked for someone with an ME. I want to see if this is the same in Texas/Houston area from people who work close with the engineers.
Thanks for any help that is given, Rolando.

 

This is a subject that will generate a lot of arguments, but yes, there is a gap between the two.

The MET is going to be more hands on, less math and theoretical physics. Classes will be based on more lab work and hands on applications, but you lack some of the essential classes like Fluid Dynamics, Thermo, Heat Transfer, etc.

A ME degree will open many doors that the ME can not. There are a lot of engineers on here, myself included and many opinions will be shared here.

Honestly, go up to the school, look at the breakdown of the course loads and look back at what you seriously can handle and WHAT you want to accomplish. Talk with your advisors and staff members at the university. We can all tell you to do either or and get a job in the oil industry but it is not that simple.

The key is getting internships and working your *** off. That will help you 10x more down the road. If you want to design things though, you will need an engineering degree.

 

I would have to agree. I know plenty of both and work for one of the top oil and gas company's. I myself am going back to school to get my ME. By the time I'm done I will have 10yrs hands on and a degree. To me a ME tech isn't much more than what you would call a senior techinichian. I have seen many move into MET position from tech level. My two cents get the ME. U of H is now a tier one and a lot of the same professors at rice teach at u of h. That's where I will be tranferring

 

from what I know you should ask yourself this simple question as a mechanical engineering tech you would likely make around 35k and with the 4 year degree as a mechanical engineer you will likely make 50k so do you wanna make 50k a year or 50k a year? those estimates are based of the average earned salary of the USA. heres the web site i got it from because I am going to school for mechanical engineering management myself in Tn and honestly if I was in Houston id get the petroleum engineering degree it pays a lot more.

http://www1.salary.com/Mechanical-En...-I-Salary.html

this site also gives a description of each kind of job as well. hope this helps.

 

ME techs should be making 40+ depending on overtime. I would really venture to say 50. ME show to make 50 I know plenty that made 60 straight out of college. But you're working M-F 8-5 generally.

 

This is true, but not all programs are lacking those classes. I took heat transfer, thermo, and fluid dynamics as part of my MET degree.

I landed a job right out of school making over 50k. There are differences, but really it comes down to what you like, and what you want to do. I enjoy the hands on side of engineering, and I am constantly modifying and adapting fixtures to work out on the shop floor that our engineering team in the front office designs. There's the people that design it, the people who make it work, and some people who can do both Also, if you go MET, make sure the degree program is ABET accredited.

 

I am an Aerospace engineer, which is not the same but related (Aero is actually kinda a combo of EE and ME, with obviously some aero-specific stuff thrown in. I'm more on the electrical side, deal with sensors & control systems as they pertain to spacecraft)

Basically the ME degree will open a LOT more doors to you than a tech degree, and while starting pay might be close (not really sure what techs start at), you'll have a lot more flexibility in what you can do in the future with the ME degree. Also you are more likely to have a more flexible 8-5 type schedule with ME, although that can vary. Your ME classes will probably be quite a bit more concerned with theory, and not many will be very hands on, but it will be worth it in the long run. If I was hiring, I would gladly consider someone with an ME degree from UH (my smartest co-worker has just that degree), but would not even read past the MET degree on a resume if it crossed my desk.

To give you an idea of salary, I started at over 50k more than 10 years ago. I'm not sure what new hires make but I would guess 60k+ depending on industry. I do some hands on work, not every day, but enough to keep me interested (mainly on the electrical side, stuff like hooking up equipment, power supplies, scopes, running wires, etc...).

Hope this helps...

 

I did Marine Engineering Technology at TAMUG (About 60% Mechanical, 30% Electrical, 10% Automation) and made more from July to December that year then most are saying they made in a year starting out. I hired into an offshore o&g commissioning company straight out of school and love it. It is more hands on then some want, but I paid for my rent, food, and car habit in college as a mechanic, so it was a perfect fit for me. I'm a consultant/superintendent now, but still get to play enough to keep it interesting. Just to put it into perspective, my technicians make at least double the numbers getting thrown around in here.

 

This is where its at... nobody but the government cares about degrees anymore.. They want to see profit... plenty of HS drop outs making $200k and above.. If you want to make it... hustle... if you don't like to work hard at whatever you want to do.. work for the government..its really that simple.

 

After the Navy I'll be doing ME myself, always been a fan of it. Personally I don't think you can go wrong with either.

 

I work for the city already as a mechanic full time(almost no overtime) but it's not enough for me and I want more to help my family out. I always have a hard work ethic, my dad always told us that if you don't work hard you will never make anything out of yourself. I'm just trying to better myself and earn more money. Also I am going to try and pay my way through school with my current job, I just don't want to get any loans.

That is pretty cool, what all does a aerospace engineer do. I had a freind who was going for that degree and last I heard he had just finished his internship with NASA.

I have looked at both course loads and even thou the ME is the more difficult one I want to get an ME degree. Some of my freinds and family have already told me to do something easier like civil engineer. I like learning about how stuff is designed, why its designed the way it is etc... With the internships is it possible to get an internship before school or does one have to be taking ME classes to get an internship. Thanks for all the help so far guys its helping me put things into a better perspective.

 

I know at TVA it list the requirements for a paid internship. your best bet is to look at the companies you want to do a internship at and ask them what the requirements are and if they pay or not. keep in mind some don't pay and some do. Good luck with your degree.

 

I'm an Industrial Engineer ( a step above MET I guess, lol). I work in Wind Energy (before that I was in telecommunications). I mention that/those because of comments on pay scale thrown around here. I've yet to meet anyone with an Engineering Discipline Degree make less than 55k starting in any field.
Original poster whatever you decide on, just remember that the degree is only a starting point. Working hard and educating yourself On The Job is the key to long term success.

 

Thanks and I realize that hard work plays a lot in getting and keeping a good job and I learn better actually seeing and trying it myself than reading it in a book which also helps. Starting salary I know veries on the company and type of job there is, I do know its more than what I make now anyways.

 

I work at NASA actually... what I used to do until 2 years ago was work in Mission Control for Space Shuttle, which was pretty much the coolest job I can imagine other than actually being an astronaut - I was very lucky and blessed to have that opportunity. The job involved a lot, probably too much to explain here, but if you watch the Apollo 13 movie w/ Tom Hanks, it gives a very accurate picture of the kind of work we did on the Mission Control team. I never worked a flight that had as much go wrong as in that movie, but we always had lots to work on during flights and it was very rewarding work but the training was tough and you always felt like you were being judged almost like a big competition to be the best and not screw up, so it was stressful and during missions the hours were long and often on the back side of the clock. We had plenty of ME's on the mission control team, in fact probably more ME's than ASE's simply because ASE is not a very common degree.

Now that the Shuttle program has ended, I work on development and test of navigation systems for future spacecraft. This is a lot more "normal" engineering and my typical day involves running tests of navigation hardware (GPS, gyros, accelerometers, altimeters) using different kinds of test rigs and environments. Then I look at all the data, using different software tools, some commercial and some developed by myself or co-workers in house, to make sure that all the systems work as they should. I do probably about 25% hands on testing, 50% data analysis and software development, and 25% random other stuff.

 

I am an ME at a chemical plant. I am brand new at it and I love it. I get a great mix of problem solving, reliability planning/strategies, and fighting the fires. I work projects (big and small) and do the day to day stuff as things come up. I spend about 60-70% of my time in an office and the rest out in the unit. It's the perfect mix for me. Also the money in a chemical plant is good (obviously). You do tend to make more money than you would doing design stuff or working for service providers. So heres my 2 cents..

First, don't do something because it's "easier". That's ridiculous. Do what you love and what makes you happy. In the end, you will (most likely) feel better about going the tougher route and be proud you did, and not worry about wondering what you could have done or accomplished. That's not something you want to regret.

Second, do you want to design, do you want to be in the field, do you want to work on projects, do you want to work day-to-day maintenance "fighting fires". What type of schedule do you want to work? Do you want to work inside all day or work outside all day? A mix of both?

Third, your end goal. This is where the degree really comes into play- your earning power. Operators make great money, welders make great money, etc. However, they bust their butt, working long hours, doing shift work and trying to work a ton of overtime so they can make the "great money". 99% of the operators at my plant make more than me, but they also work at least 50% more than me. I never have to work nights or shift work (except during turnarounds obviously) and have never been out on a Saturday or Sunday. And where they top out around $150K, there really isn't a ceiling for a guy with an ME degree (or CHEM-E, EE, etc.). For example, two of my bosses who are ME's make over $230K per year. Then there's the plant manager, God knows what he makes.. but he has an ME degree. Going up from there you have more chemical or mechanical degrees or business/finance degrees. Degrees get you into management. Which again, is not for everyone!

So determine your end goal. Do you want to bust your butt physically, doing what you may or may not consider boring, mundane, repetitive task with no tall "ladder" to climb while making good money, or do you want to get your degree and spend your whole career trying to move up and up and up by impressing people to make tons of money? Neither of course guarantee you the money, that's where your work ethic comes in, which, if I had to guess, is probably pretty good, since you are taking the time to come on here and get advice. You obviously care.

BTW, I have never met an MET or even heard of it until this thread... I am also pretty new to the industry. Oh and don't limit yourself to just Uof H, I hear that Lamar has a good ME program, and of course A&M and the other school in austin have great engineering schools, but more $$ and harder to get into..

Good luck man!

 

Wow if your making 40-50k a year with a 4yr degree that blows. I made that working like 7 months welding. Im in school for process tech n they net 50k+ starting. I just thought most engineers got started atleast 80k+ a year considering the amount of hard work and dedication alot of you guys put in.

 

40-50k is low at least for Houston. When I started ~10 years ago, starting salary for ME was mid 50s+. I would guess current market is high 60s low 70s.

Don't forget the degree gets you an air conditioned office, the option of a normal work schedule, and full benefits. The salary also means steady work all year, some welders have to follow the work so pay is up and down. Its not hard to make more than a starting engineer working hourly with OT.

I make a small fortune more now than I did starting out, but I hire welders that make even more (per hour) than I do. There will always be someone that makes more money....do what you want to do.

 

like I said man that's the national average and I don't know how long ago they updated that website but it is useful because it gives the description of what the different ME would do. but I can get an internship with TVA and just being there intern starting out would be around 40k and at the end of the internship id be getting paid 50k (last I checked) after that I would more than likely start out around any where from 60k to 100k. So you see It really just depends on where you are at and what level you are.

 

I'm a EE about to go to Gatech for a PhD and the starting salary for a B.S.E.E. at a good semiconductor company is about 60k-65k. That's generally about that same as a M.E....PhD students don't make anywhere near that much.