MS in Engineering or Law School? 2

[TennisGuy543]

I am finishing up a BS in Aerospace Engineering from a U.S. university and trying to decide whether to go for an MS in AE or go to Law School. My questions are below.

Which degree (MSAE or JD) yields a higher salary?
What is the better career path - engineering or law?
In general, which is more enjoyable?
I always hear about the huge amount of work lawyers have to do - is this the same for engineers?
Which profession has more stability?

I have decent marks so I probably can get into some highly ranked schools for either Engineering or Law, if that makes any difference. I know that there is probably cuts in defense spending around the corner, which will hurt the value of my BSAE degree, but I am also a U.S. citizen and I received decent grades from a pretty good college, and I have had internships in the field. I enjoy engineering (relatively speaking, of course) and do not know much about law.

Thank you!

 

[Guest262653]

In my humble opinion, if you are even considering Law as an option, you don't need to be an engineer (like the rest of us poor bastards...).

 

[jpankask]

That's easy! To answer your questions:

It depends.
It depends.
It depends.
Sometimes.
It depends.

Seriously...there are a few Engineers and a few Lawyers who make a very high salary. The rest of us Engineers and a great number of Lawyers make an average salary, but either would be good enough for a good living. It really, really...really depends on what you want to do. An engineering job that is enjoyable for me may drive you to drink heavily and end up on COPS getting tasered. Conversely, a lawyer job you enjoy may drive me mad. They are really two very different fields and with the exception of patent law or maybe some jobs working for a large multinational technology company, a BS in Engineering and JD would not be extremely marketable, IMHO. I have also heard that if you are not in the top percentage of your law school class, you're pretty much left on your own to find a job in law or start your own law firm.

 

[IRstuff]

Which degree (MSAE or JD) yields a higher salary?

It depends; which one are you good at? If you have such disparate choices, do you even care about either one? How do you expect to make this "higher salary" if you have no interest in the profession other than for its salary?

What is the better career path - engineering or law?

Again, it's only better if you have some modicum of interest and if you are "better" at it. What do you want to be when you grow up?

In general, which is more enjoyable?

Again, it's only more enjoyable if you have some modicum of interest and if you are "better" at it. Almost anything can be enjoyable if you enjoy it to begin with.

I always hear about the huge amount of work lawyers have to do - is this the same for engineers?

It's less of "work" if you enjoy it. You can put in 100 hr/wk and it can feel like years if you hate it, or it can feel like 20 hr/wk if you enjoy it.

Which profession has more stability?
It depends on what cycle of economy and what company you are when there's a recession.

TTFN
faq731-376

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[TheTick]

I've worked with a few engineers that went to law school. Nobody misses them.

 

[miningman]

Well like a few posters here have indirectly alluded to , if you would even consider law as a career , you'd probably make a p*ss poor engineer. Take the law course.

 

[bigTomHanks]

I worked in the legal field (not as a lawyer though) and found it to be challenging and rewarding at the same time. There have been a couple of times where I seriously considered becoming a lawyer but never thought it was worth it for me. In talking to several lawyers I have known, it's not easy at this time to be a successful lawyer. There are a lot of lawyers who are unemployed, underpayed/overworked, and generally struggling due to the amount of lawyers in the field right now. I don't want to deter you but I would suggest that you talk to some current lawyers to talk about your desire to enter the profession. I would even go as far as calling random law firms/companies that hire lawyers and talk to them about your plans. Most will be willing to give you a few minutes of their time to answer questions that you may have.

 

[Ron]

TG543....how will you know if you don't try something? Engineering school is not engineering practice. Big difference. Try engineering for a while...if you don't like it, go to law school. If you decide now, spend 3 years in law school and then find you don't like that without having tried engineering....big waste.

 

[dvd]

Patent law may me interesting for you.

I think that success or failure in any career is more a function of personality. Make sure you are sociable and likable.

 

[oldestguy]

Some of the best trial layers I have seen (when I was in court as an expert)had an engineering degree.

 

[Maui]

Are you inherently honest? Then be an engineer.

Are you inherently dishonest? Then be a lawyer.

Maui

http://www.EngineeringMetallurgy.com

 

[MartinShane]

Given all I've heard in the news in the last year or two I'd never dream of going to law school right now...

Denver Post Article

Forbes Article

The Atlantic Article

 

[TheTick]

I recently shared a shuttle ride with an attorney. He said he would absolutely recommend against going into law now, "...except patent law. Then you can write your own ticket."

 

[zdas04]

The best lawyers I know started life working as Engineers. One guy worked as a Engineer for 5 years, got his JD at night school over the next few years, and currently is as happy as anyone I know.

The worst lawyers I know went from Engineering school to law school. They are amazingly arrogant, but not sure why.

In any case, I believe that any graduate school out of an Engineering undergraduate program is simply stupid. Not slightly stupid. Seriously stupid. You need to pay your dues as a new Engineer before you are any value to anyone. I would say 5 years minimum before you even think about additional schooling (I waited 12 years, but I'm a slow learner). With 5 years experience and a MS or JD, you are generally useful walking in the door. Without that experience you are simply a "new hire" which by definition is a liability.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.
The plural of anecdote is not "data"

 

[Rich2001]

To help you make up your mind. Study and take the patent bar exam. You can work as a patent agent while in Law school, if you decide to go that route; or if you decide it is not for you without spending all the money and time on Law school.

Richard

 

[loki3000]

He said he would absolutely recommend against going into law now
did he say why is that?

also interesting, here in europe you can start with a law degree straight from high school (it's an ordinary 4-5yr bachelor/master degree). and medicine is somewhat similar (6yr i think + specialisation).

 

[TheTick]

Basically, it's because there are way too many graduating law students and not nearly enough jobs. (Not news.)

Even the president of the US bar association says as much: law graduates should not expect to find jobs. I wish I could find the interview. It's out there somewhere.

 

[loki3000]

aha, i've heard that too. i think there are similar problems (not so much though) in my country.