Bulb - I can offer my two cents. I've been an S.E. in California for 40 years. In California, there are about 10 P.E.s (civils) for every 1 S.E. Here, it's mandatory to have an S.E. only on schools, hospitals and buildings over 160 feet tall (the L.A. City "Rule"). While prepping for the exam, I was told it would take 600 hours of prep time to be properly prepared for the exam. I didn't log my hours, but I don't believe that number is far off. I nailed the exam, leaving each session an hour and a half early. My colleagues thought I bombed the exam. LOL.
Recently, I submitted plans to a building department for a residential remodel. When the plan checker noticed my credentials (and my low S.E. number), he commented that he had a colleague on his staff who has been an S.E. for 15 years and her number was MUCH higher than mine. He then asked if I had any recommendations to prepare for the S.E. exam. I said "sure". I told him that his time would be better spent learning to play the piano or a foreign language. That would eventually be more valuable to him.
Don't spend the time to feed your ego. If you want to be a great technician, then, by all means, go in with both feet. Unfortunately, there is a glass ceiling for most technicians (engineers, accountants, biologists, chemists, etc.). We are "forced" to move into management if we want to make more money. To do that successfully, you have to be able to get other people to do what you want them to do and enjoy doing that. I never did. There is an old adage that goes something like this: "A students work for the B students at companies owned by the C students". There is more to life than making money. Much more. We, particularly those of us in the United States, are addicted to materialism. We crave stuff we don't actually need. I found (the hard way) that meeting people from other cultures is much more rewarding than building an engineering practice.
Right now, I love what I am doing. I do my own engineering and drawings. I have found a niche in complicated, high end residential remodels which require quite a bit of creativity to come up with practical solutions. I get paid pretty well and, if I go over budget, it's not a crisis for me. If I'm concerned about secondary stresses, I can spend the time on a 3D model. If I'm not sure how things are going to fit up, I can use 3D AutoCAD. My clients (mostly contractors and a few architects) are very loyal. It's just a shame it took me so long to figure this out.
Good luck in whatever path you choose, but, please, put personal happiness at the top of your list of goals. Be a good husband/wife, a good father/mother, a good friend and a good colleague. Get out and see the world and meet people who don't look or sound like you.
