A master's degree, at least, is necessary for entry level, he says, and has been since he graduated 25 years ago. Donnel says engineers finish a bachelor's degree, then must work for awhile before testing for the Professional Engineer registration. The test covers ethics and skills in the engineer's specialty. Once achieved, engineers are registered to practice in that specialty. To work in another specialty, they must get the background in that field and test for it.
Engineers expect and usually get good pay.
Huey says salaries in Boulder were competitive with those in northern California, where he lived until recently. Engineers like their jobs, citing more pros than cons. The hands-on work of following it through production lets them see an idea into completion, Blomsterberg says. On the downside, it's typically a desk job, Huey says. It's not one of those where you go out and meet people every day.