Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering Worth It?

diploma

Have you just gotten your bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and you’re contemplating whether you should continue your studies or enter the job market right away? Well, we’re here to put together an overview of what you gain and what you lose if you opt to get yourself a master’s degree in your field.

Of course, you can find and do fantastic work with just a bachelor’s, but getting that level above provides a certain edge and a couple of advantages that we’ll be getting into. 

So, if you’re already sure that a master’s degree is the next logical step for you, you can look into the CWRU mechanical engineering courses. If you’re not yet convinced you should further your student loans without a guarantee of a payoff, read on to learn why you should at least consider it.

It Will Help With Your CV Getting Noticed

As a rule of thumb, a CV with a master’s degree is more likely to get noticed and pulled from a bunch of applications. Of course, this rule mostly applies to entry-level positions, where you and the competitors don’t have any experience outside of internships. Having a master’s proves to the employer you are willing to commit to something and see it through to the end.

Also, if it so happens that your CV is the only one that shows you have a master’s degree, and every other one shows a bachelor’s, there’s a very good chance your application will be the one that makes it through to the next stage.

If the master’s degree is accompanied by internships and extra-curricular activities which show you have at least some experience in the field, the job is as good as yours.

You’re More Likely to Get a Promotion

Let’s say that the master’s degree gave you the necessary edge to get a job you’re happy with and enjoy doing. After some time, no matter how good the job is, you’re going to strive toward getting a higher position in your team, company, or the industry in general. This is where your master’s degree will come into play again.

Of course, you’ll be using the knowledge you acquired while getting a master’s to your work, and it will definitely show, but it’s at a point where you’re going for a better position where it can actually play a part in getting you a step closer. 

Once again, if it’s a clutch between a couple of people who are all performing well, your master’s degree might give you just that little nudge to get you in the door before everyone else.

The Pay in Senior Positions Is Better With a Master’s

The salary will be practically the same for both bachelor’s and master’s graduates in entry-level positions, so don’t expect to get a considerable boost in pay right off the bat. However, as years move on and you progress through the corporate ranks, you’re not just more likely to get picked for a promotion if you have a master’s degree. You’re also more likely to get selected for positions that offer a better paycheck.

It’s sort of an unwritten rule; for managerial and director positions, the job will, in most cases, go to the candidate that has a master’s over one who has a bachelor’s. Of course, that’s not stated anywhere in the job requirements, as it really isn’t one, since people with bachelor’s degrees can get the job and can do just as fine in that position. 

But on the other hand, if a master’s degree will get you in so many business opportunities and give you an edge, why shouldn’t you get one?

The industry can be a grind, and a lot of hard work and constant learning is necessary if you want to progress, but it does tend to be just a little bit easier with a master’s degree.

Conclusion

So, you won’t be earning heaps of cash in your first years on the job, but you are more likely to get that job and progress faster in your career if you invest that additional year or two into getting a master’s degree in your field. 

In the long run, it absolutely pays off, as long as you put in good work and use that additional knowledge you gained during your master’s studies to improve yourself and get your tasks done quickly and with ease.

There is no doubt that effort like that will be noticed. With that bright spot in your CV that is a master’s in mechanical engineering grants you, you’re more likely to get picked for a promotion and move on to senior positions where your hard work and experience will be recognized and rewarded.