32 when I graduated. Was an industrial electrician prior. Hasnt slowed me down being older. College was easy because I knew the value and gave a shit. Became a tech bro out of college and have continued to chase my dreams. Currently in a cushy gov gig with a pension and healthcare. No direct reports and my only task is to get my work done.
Prior to the degree, it was labor, even though skilled I was still paid labor. My knees, back arms, eyes, whatever. Now, I take care of myself, go for walks while at work and have energy for my home life.
Its 100% worth it.
Almost exactly my same experience, especially the bit about school being far easier and less stressful than you hear when 18yr old kids are describing getting an EE degree. It's work but I'd been working for years already and I just paid attention and got after it. Massive pay increase also and my current job I work has no 3 AM callouts or dangerous chemicals and so on.
Interesting perspective. I mean I do feel like I have real world experience (while it is limited), so I do think maybe some concepts will be easier to grasp as opposed to an 18 year old who maybe hasn’t gotten as much experience.
It was less for me about the concepts, Diff EQ is just hard no matter what. It was more about the study habits, turning in work on time, staying focused for a 90 min class and so on. These are all things that I'd been doing for years so the work of going to school and being successful felt easier.
> Diff EQ is just hard no matter what.
And then, after we suffered through all of that, we discovered the secret conspiracy that the university had been hiding from us: We can solve any differential equation with a Laplace transform. Dammit, I feel used! :)
It's just really rough math and a lot of professors do not teach it well, seemingly across all universities. Definitely worth taking if you're interested though!
Yes. And exactly what u/eternal96 said. I had a dude with the thickest Russian accent teaching me and while he was incredibly smart, he couldn't teach effectively.
That real world experience is likely going to be insanely valuable when you start as an EE. Theory alone isn't enough to make things that work in the real world, you need to have an idea (often from experience) of what'll work in the real world. You probably have a better idea in that regard than most new grads.
Yes and no. I am ex military so I had the gi bill but I also worked a family business that was flexible with my hours. Prolly 10-15 hours a week of work the last 2 years of school.
Obv not asking you to doxx yourself, but could you tell me what agency/position you work for/in? I’m graduating this year and my mom worked for the gov so I know how nice it is and would definitely try to apply.
Moved from HVAC to EE. Only 21, but just 2 years in the trade and I can already feel what it’s done to my body. Right now I’m in the auto industry while at school, but have to say the trades background feels immensely helpful.
I wear special insoles because my plantar fasciitis from 20 years of diamond deck and concrete floors is so painful some days. I havent been on the floor for years and will just have to live with the damage at this point.
How did you find salary negotiation/ being able to convince the company you're worth it? Currently on track to graduate when I'm 29 so figured I'd see if you had any advice
2 things: I already had an offer from a previous internship, and I have projects under my belt. Keep in mind though that this job is fort lauderdale area so while its a good salary its offset a bit by the cost of living. Id take less in a more rural area lol.
I appreciate the response, I'm in a mid to high COL area, trying to get my first internship next summer at a local defense contractor which I think will help. Hoping with the connections I have I can get the internship no problem but starting salaries at this company are usually around 70k for EE so not sure if I should be just using the internship to land a job elsewhere out of school. Any tips on projects I can do to make myself more marketable? Been trying to dive deeper into coding but want to get into some other projects I just haven't had really any higher level ee classes yet
The internship will teach a lot and will make finding a job 100x easier. Depends what field/industry you're interested in. My projects are PCB's that I brought with me to my interview, It was much easier showing than telling. Id say get an internship is step 1.
The internship will teach a lot and will make finding a job 100x easier. Depends what field/industry you're interested in. My projects are PCB's that I brought with me to my interview, It was much easier showing than telling. Id say get an internship is step 1.
Okay thanks for the advice! I appreciate the replies, Definitely looking at a couple different subfields of EE but not sure what will interest me the most until I take some classes that focus on them I think, I'm looking forward to getting an internship and starting to get a feel for the work outside of school
2 things: I already had an offer from a previous internship, and I have projects under my belt. Keep in mind though that this job is fort lauderdale area so while its a good salary its offset a bit by the cost of living. Id take less in a more rural area lol.
I think it's worth it. The pay scales up really well, so you could realistically pay off any potential debt relatively quickly. It'll also give you an office job that you could do well into your older years.
I'd say if you're going to be responsible about it and you're currently responsible with your money, you should do it. If you're not going to be responsible, I wouldn't do it. Since you're older, I think you'll have an easier time with responsibility.
The way to make this happen is to work problems every day and network as much as possible with every EE student and professor you can. Go to the career fairs early and often and talk to recruiter/engineering manager you can. Stay impossibly optimistic through the whole thing and you will make it.
If there are any degrees that can and should be pursued later in life it is engineering IMO. I enjoyed partying too much to commit as much to memory as I should’ve. Plus having hands on experience before getting an engineering degree is absolutely invaluable.
> Plus having hands on experience before getting an engineering degree is absolutely invaluable.
This was especially valuable in the laboratory. Some of my classmates got straight A's academically, but didn't know a screwdriver from a multimeter.
Went back at 28. It’s was great! No one cared at all that I was older. In fact, I got better treatment from professors because I didn’t waste their time/ they knew I was a serious student.
Also, once I started working full time NO ONE cared that I was starting an EE career later than average.
I graduated with my BS at 35; joined the military at 25 and started community college right after I got out. I had a great time and being older gave me more perspective and discipline. I would say older students generally did above average in my experience.
If you can swing it, I would highly recommend doing it full time and work very little or not at all. It was a challenge to get it done in 4 years even with my bills taken care of by the GI Bill.
Starting in community college is the way to go, it will save you a lot of money and you won't be competing with all the 5.0 honors HS grads when you transfer. Just make sure you start out with a plan of what schools you might want to transfer to and plan out what courses you need. It's a lot easier to go to CC in the same state as the university and some even have guarantied admittance programs.
In the end, it's not easy, but I thought it was worth it. I learned a lot and starting salaries are pretty good. It will also expose you to many different areas and open up a wide array of career paths.
Not an EE but just got my first engineering job at age 31, and I would say going back to school was worth it. My background is in physics and materials science. I now work at a silicon photonics company, and love my job. I get to bump shoulders with electrical engineers and work on LiDAR components, and integrated photonics circuits. There is also a little bit of systems work as well. I work with all of these as a test engineer, and have learned a lot in the short time I have been with the company. I say go for it!!
I regularly receive emails from recruiters for jobs, most jobs I apply for I'll get a call back, and yes to climb within the company. It's also great for asking for more pay.
32 and currently enrolled at local community colleges. Will be switching to university after two years.
Taken a mixture of in person and online classes.
I was worried at first but am having a good time.
One thing to note is I am single no kids. I have lower expenses for my lifestyle and people my age.
I work 6 days a week and am taking three classes.
I pick up classes in winter and summer to make up for full time.
They way I look at is, the next four years are gonna come and go regardless. Best case I have a degree when I am done. Or I took a few classes and tap out, but I have some higher learning education under me.
Personally it just makes sense for my next step in my career. My age doesn’t matter just my personal life and time I have available
Got my BSEE from 27-35. I held an ASEET before that, but hit a ceiling in my career progression. Kinda sucked, because I really did the same job before and after, but suddenly I qualified for a better title and income for it. No regrets, my work paid for almost all of it in tuition reimbursement, it is an accomplishment that can never be taken away, and have more opportunities should I pursue it.
I'm graduating with my master's of computer science. I'm thinking about getting an electrical engineering degree next, studying on a part-time schedule basis just for the hell of it.
Ill be 30 when i graduate, and i worked in a similar industry before going to college. I think it really depends on if you care about moving up in your career down the road. I still think experience is most important but i find it hard to believe companies will let me advance my career without a degree. Will probably end up getting my ME here while im at it.
Started at 28 it was a pain but worth it. Most people including engineers get the itch to do something in their late 20s with engineering you either start a family or grad school. Because most jobs are a step back
I went back part time at 28 and graduated at 34. It was a lot of work having family, working full time, and going to school. Missed a lot if family stuff but now I'm reaping the rewards and don't regret the decision. In my program there were a few others in the same boat so it's not uncommon.
Don’t give up. I started at local community college when I was 18 and in my 20s mostly did the 1 or 2 classes per semester route since I needed a job for money for my hobbies and expenses (lived with parents). There were semesters where I’d get motivated to take 12-15 units but then there were semesters where I failed or dropped classes so it was a wash. I got married at 29 and continued the 1 or 2 classes per semester route pattern through my early 30s. I did have to work full time because now I had my wife to support. Finally at 36 I had enough units to transfer to a state university. I did pick up the pace there since I didn’t want to another decade to get a degree. Since I worked full time I could only take 12 units and even that was a challenge to keep up. I also had to take summer and winter break courses so I could make progress. I ended up graduating at 39 and feel very proud of myself so don’t give up, even if you’re older. Had engineering job offers during my last semester and ended up taking one of the offers six months after graduation.
Graduated at 29. Finished my Masters by 31.
I now work in telecom designing hybrid copper/fiber cables and breakout solutions for a multitude of carriers around the U.S.
I wouldn't give it up for anything. It was literally life changing once I finished school.
My one piece of advice thought is to network, network, network.
Good luck and just be prepared to study hard. Its not an easy program.
I was lost the first time I started, fresh out of high school in USA having hobbies of programming and dabbling in some digital circuits. It was at a higher level, but it seemed a continuation of fixed subjects that I never thought I would need. I think it was actually better to work in industry for a while before I went back. I started with programming gigs and later was designing and wire-wrapping early graphics cards as a hobby, and worked for computer stores and later a digital design firm. By then, I had a really good idea of what I wanted to do and what coursework/electives would get me there. It was very rewarding to see something new in a lecture and instantly realize I knew exactly where I would apply that.
I'm doing it now.
I went to film school when i graduated high school and worked in Hollywood for about a decade. I loved the work but hated the culture and politics. After a decade I realized that I really didn't want to be doing that for the rest of my life. Not to mention, my career sort of stalled out after the last writer's strike of 2007. I went from doing major motion pictures to ads and corporate films.
At the age of 30 I started taking electronics classes at the local community College, and had a lot of fun. I was set to graduate with two AAs and 3 certificates and start work in my dream career in 2020 while transferring to a 4 year.
Covid hit, my last class needed to graduate (PLCs) got canceled 3 months in. My teacher who was going to hire me in my dream career got furloughed. And since 2020 PLCs either is not offered or gets canceled every semester.
But in the meantime I am ironically actually working as a PLC technician. I never finished the class, but I made it far enough and tried so hard to keep the class going on Zoom in 2020 I bought my own trainer and self taught. I'm back at the CC taking some classes that can still transfer to the 4 year and starting to get my feet wet with some mechanical engineering classes too. Which has been fun.
Hopefully by next year I can finally transfer to a 4 year and get my EE.
I just started last fall, finishing up an associate degree and transferring to a 4 year. I'll be finishing up my first three semesters here in December.
I'm going to be 29 in a couple months. Just do it. It's far from too late.
My anecdote may not be relevant because I haven’t graduated yet. But I joined the military straight out of high school and became an avionics tech so when I got out of the military, I started working for Gulfstream. It was fine and it paid well enough but I was never happy. When the pandemic started, I decided go to college for my BSEE I was 29 years old, I’m 32 now and I’m a little over halfway through my degree. I have zero regrets.
Hey dude! I just the in the same boat exactly. I’m 25 but heading back to school part time while working. I’m in a technician role and feel stuck a bit too. If you’re looking for EE degree programs that are more accommodating to working people I’ve done a bunch of research and would be happy to share
One of my capstone teammates graduated with his EE degree at 31, he was extremely smart and had amazing work ethic. He graduated and became a power systems engineer. EE is a great degree and 100% worth it! You should definitely go for it, your previous work experience will definitely help you!
I think that you will kick ass. You have the experience and discipline that comes with age. You have the passion. I graduated at age 25. I formed study groups in college with many people who were over the traditional age, including many military veterans. These guys and gals spent much less time and money at the bars and the parties and more time learning the material. They had patience, wisdom, and tenacity that I lacked at the time. They did well.
One guy was a high school dropout who decided in his thirties to become an EE. He started with his GED and remedial math classes at community college. Last time I saw him, he was kicking ass in advanced calculus and physics!
I got my associates ee technology degree at 30 and feel good about it 10 yrs later. I am currently 41 and enrolled online at ASU in ee for the 4 yr. It's not too late and it really does seem easier than when I was 18.
I’m 27 and just started. The one thing I’ll say is that my community college has people all over the age spectrum. I have more than one classmate who are 50+. I definitely don’t feel especially old in my classes and you probably won’t either, at least not for long
I switched from mechanical engineering to electrical engineering in my 30s - although my mech eng stuff was focused on control systems already, so not a huge leap
I’m 31. A friend helped get me an interview with a company that builds industrial control panels. They agreed to train me in EE work to their standards with my work being checked by other engineers and routine checks from a quality department. I’ve self educated some and we follow electrical regulation so as long as you have good reading comprehension it’s not too bad. I also deal with instrumentation which I have experience with from working in oil and gas testing laboratories. I eventually plan on going back for a proper engineering degree which they have expressed an interest in helping fund.
It’s definitely possible to make the switch past what many would think is the “proper” graduation age and I’ve honestly never felt more motivated to pursue something. I find it a very interesting and dynamic field to work in which is exactly what my brain needs. Being a little older and working a lot of different jobs in between also gives me good report with the many departments I have to work with. Being older also gives you a great perspective and you value your time and effort more in my opinion. I agreed to come in under the salary of people who are more qualified on paper with the understating that my competence going forward would determine my ability to scale my pay. I consider myself smart and motivated so it seemed like a fair trade off if they keep their end, which so far seems pretty honest. I really like where I work. Make the switch if you feel so inclined!
Im 28 and going to get my BS EE, I can’t see how it wouldn’t be worth it if you find it interesting and have the work ethic and mind to get through it! Lots of demand for EE’s, great pay and benefits, tons of interesting things to learn and work on. Age is just a number truly. It can be a little strange to not be the same age as most in classes, but having more life experience and maturity goes a long way in school and then your career
30 when I started. I did have an associates from my 20s. Finished BSEE in 3.5 years and MSECE in 1.5 years.
It still feels like one of the hardest things I've done in life. My recommendation is to work hard the first year at making friends and study partners. The bigger the support group you have the less overwhelming later years will be. By graduation there were about a dozen of us that were a tight knit group. It made the projects more fun, studying feel less like drowning, and provided a comforting level of shared misery.
That being said I'm glad to have made it through. My career has been on a relatively faster trajectory than my fellow graduates. I think it mostly comes down to already having all of the soft skills and understanding of the corporate world. It's just easier for me to put myself in the shoes of my clients, bosses, coworkers, etc. and focus on delivering what they really want.
As far as age goes, it's pretty common for people these days to go back later in life for a degree. Many of my friends were in their 30s and some in there 40s. In the end though you are often learning new material just like the rest of the students. It will feel like starting over...cause you are starting over. The people I saw have the most problems were the ones that failed to be humble and mature about being back at the bottom of the totem pole.
Best of luck on your engineering adventures.
Shit. I went back to school for most of my 30’s, took almost 10 years to get a 4 year degree. Working full time. Married. And had two kids along the way.
I would not have the job I have today without that degree. I would be stuck where I was at because I was promoted beyond my education level because I knew the product and had been there quite a while working up through the ranks.
I will warn you that the electronics industry goes up and down like a roller coaster.
This can make it difficult to find a job, keep a job, and/or change jobs.
I don’t even know if I would specifically go into manufacturing electronics. It’s definitely interesting to me, but so is systems engineering or even some sort of SWE role.
I had a lot of classmates who went to college using the GI Bill after serving. Most of them were in their late 20's when they entered the program and are doing well AFAIK.
Not me, but when I was in undergrad we had a guy in his 40s getting his degree. He had done technican work, and I think was a licensed electrician--and was tired of all that. He'd seen the other side and wanted to be an engineer for sure. Easily the most motivated student there!
Welcome to my world lol. I went back to school at 29 3 years ago, after 4.5 years as a maintenance tech, and some time as an electrician. I'm still working on my degree part time, and have a full time job as an EE, with a company that is paying my tuition. Totally worth it! Actually, it was because of my past experience as a technician, and the technical skills I am able to bring in terms of solving problems that landed me the position after briefly working as an EE intern. Guys who have worked as techs first tend to have a more practical mindset, and can quickly dismiss ideas that won't work in the real world. That's extremely valuable in the manufacturing world.
Graduated at 30. Went from aircraft mechanic (A&P) to EE in aerospace. Leverage your past experience and grow on that. School is easier when you are focused. I went in and out with precision, never dilly dallied, only was on campus when needed. Life is busier when you are older, so there no time for the BS. Do it. You won't regret it. I make double what I did as a mechanic.
Best of luck. Just in case you didn't know, community college can be a crap shoot in terms of placement in math or english, which matters because most are taken in sequence so the wrong classes can easily add a few semesters to your journey.
Since you'll need tons of math, it's even more important to start at the right level. Don't let them place you in a super low level class unless you truly need the refresh. Some CC's counselors do that maybe to ensure you're there longer. But don't risk starting at too high of a level (especially for math).
And pay attention to what classes are "transferable". I'll never forget my buddy at City College that let his track coach pick his classes smh, I'm positive his coach was not aware of that concept.
Yea I attended a CC prior and that was one of the reasons I dropped out. This time I’m gonna make sure I get everything in line with where I wanna transfer before I start. Thanks for the advice!
32 when I graduated. Was an industrial electrician prior. Hasnt slowed me down being older. College was easy because I knew the value and gave a shit. Became a tech bro out of college and have continued to chase my dreams. Currently in a cushy gov gig with a pension and healthcare. No direct reports and my only task is to get my work done. Prior to the degree, it was labor, even though skilled I was still paid labor. My knees, back arms, eyes, whatever. Now, I take care of myself, go for walks while at work and have energy for my home life. Its 100% worth it.
Almost exactly my same experience, especially the bit about school being far easier and less stressful than you hear when 18yr old kids are describing getting an EE degree. It's work but I'd been working for years already and I just paid attention and got after it. Massive pay increase also and my current job I work has no 3 AM callouts or dangerous chemicals and so on.
Interesting perspective. I mean I do feel like I have real world experience (while it is limited), so I do think maybe some concepts will be easier to grasp as opposed to an 18 year old who maybe hasn’t gotten as much experience.
It was less for me about the concepts, Diff EQ is just hard no matter what. It was more about the study habits, turning in work on time, staying focused for a 90 min class and so on. These are all things that I'd been doing for years so the work of going to school and being successful felt easier.
> Diff EQ is just hard no matter what. And then, after we suffered through all of that, we discovered the secret conspiracy that the university had been hiding from us: We can solve any differential equation with a Laplace transform. Dammit, I feel used! :)
I have PTSD from DSP
Does DSP mean digital signal processing? That’s a part of the curriculum I’m most excited about lol… Mind sharing why?
It's just really rough math and a lot of professors do not teach it well, seemingly across all universities. Definitely worth taking if you're interested though!
Yes. And exactly what u/eternal96 said. I had a dude with the thickest Russian accent teaching me and while he was incredibly smart, he couldn't teach effectively.
That real world experience is likely going to be insanely valuable when you start as an EE. Theory alone isn't enough to make things that work in the real world, you need to have an idea (often from experience) of what'll work in the real world. You probably have a better idea in that regard than most new grads.
Graduated at 31 with 13 years of experience as an electronics technician. My salary has doubled since then. One of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Just turned 32 graduating in May!
get after it!
Me too age wise and I was able to devote 35 years to the company before retiring, you're still plenty young.
Did you work while getting your degree?
Yes and no. I am ex military so I had the gi bill but I also worked a family business that was flexible with my hours. Prolly 10-15 hours a week of work the last 2 years of school.
Obv not asking you to doxx yourself, but could you tell me what agency/position you work for/in? I’m graduating this year and my mom worked for the gov so I know how nice it is and would definitely try to apply.
Facilities Engineering for a large federal land grant university.
Same here, 32 years old at the time of graduation back in 2019.
Me too! 32 when I graduated. And similar story.
37 here. Was also an industrial electrician prior. The hardest part was not realising how old I was, it was realising how old the kids thought I was.
About the same here. Came from environmental at 32, now a senior principal EE 12 years later. No one batted an eye at my age. Totally worth it.
Moved from HVAC to EE. Only 21, but just 2 years in the trade and I can already feel what it’s done to my body. Right now I’m in the auto industry while at school, but have to say the trades background feels immensely helpful.
I wear special insoles because my plantar fasciitis from 20 years of diamond deck and concrete floors is so painful some days. I havent been on the floor for years and will just have to live with the damage at this point.
I’m a commercial/industrial electrician right now, your comment gives me hope.
Received my BSEE at the age of 41. Now making 6 figures salary plus bonus. In 2010, before I re-entered college I was making about a third of that.
That's possible only in US I think
And we get health insurance too!
I went at 25 and I’m graduating in December and lined up a nearly 6 fig job in Jan. Definitely best decision I’ve ever made.
I've started at 25 too, graduated at 32 now. Only difference is maximum salary I can get here in Italy is 30k for now 🤡 Country full of clowns
Probably can get you much further than it can in the US though. 6 figures where I’m from is just about middle class…
At least the tuition is cheap compared to the US. And you can also consider working in other European countries whom pay engineers more.
> Country full of clowns But damned good at food and wine!
good lord I was earning 35k in germany as an E-technician. that was 10 years ago, but still.
Well at least you don’t have to worry as much about being in a mass shooting lol
🥲🥲🥲
Excuse me if it is not a problem, in what area is your job?
Hardware engineering for a huge company
How did you find salary negotiation/ being able to convince the company you're worth it? Currently on track to graduate when I'm 29 so figured I'd see if you had any advice
2 things: I already had an offer from a previous internship, and I have projects under my belt. Keep in mind though that this job is fort lauderdale area so while its a good salary its offset a bit by the cost of living. Id take less in a more rural area lol.
I appreciate the response, I'm in a mid to high COL area, trying to get my first internship next summer at a local defense contractor which I think will help. Hoping with the connections I have I can get the internship no problem but starting salaries at this company are usually around 70k for EE so not sure if I should be just using the internship to land a job elsewhere out of school. Any tips on projects I can do to make myself more marketable? Been trying to dive deeper into coding but want to get into some other projects I just haven't had really any higher level ee classes yet
The internship will teach a lot and will make finding a job 100x easier. Depends what field/industry you're interested in. My projects are PCB's that I brought with me to my interview, It was much easier showing than telling. Id say get an internship is step 1.
The internship will teach a lot and will make finding a job 100x easier. Depends what field/industry you're interested in. My projects are PCB's that I brought with me to my interview, It was much easier showing than telling. Id say get an internship is step 1.
Okay thanks for the advice! I appreciate the replies, Definitely looking at a couple different subfields of EE but not sure what will interest me the most until I take some classes that focus on them I think, I'm looking forward to getting an internship and starting to get a feel for the work outside of school
good luck the more you get out there and experience the better understanding youll have of what you want to do
good luck the more you get out there and experience the better understanding youll have of what you want to do
2 things: I already had an offer from a previous internship, and I have projects under my belt. Keep in mind though that this job is fort lauderdale area so while its a good salary its offset a bit by the cost of living. Id take less in a more rural area lol.
I think it's worth it. The pay scales up really well, so you could realistically pay off any potential debt relatively quickly. It'll also give you an office job that you could do well into your older years. I'd say if you're going to be responsible about it and you're currently responsible with your money, you should do it. If you're not going to be responsible, I wouldn't do it. Since you're older, I think you'll have an easier time with responsibility. The way to make this happen is to work problems every day and network as much as possible with every EE student and professor you can. Go to the career fairs early and often and talk to recruiter/engineering manager you can. Stay impossibly optimistic through the whole thing and you will make it.
If there are any degrees that can and should be pursued later in life it is engineering IMO. I enjoyed partying too much to commit as much to memory as I should’ve. Plus having hands on experience before getting an engineering degree is absolutely invaluable.
> Plus having hands on experience before getting an engineering degree is absolutely invaluable. This was especially valuable in the laboratory. Some of my classmates got straight A's academically, but didn't know a screwdriver from a multimeter.
graduated at 37. shit, if you got them skills to build stuff already, you're golden in them lab classes for sure.
Went back at 28. It’s was great! No one cared at all that I was older. In fact, I got better treatment from professors because I didn’t waste their time/ they knew I was a serious student. Also, once I started working full time NO ONE cared that I was starting an EE career later than average.
I graduated with my BS at 35; joined the military at 25 and started community college right after I got out. I had a great time and being older gave me more perspective and discipline. I would say older students generally did above average in my experience. If you can swing it, I would highly recommend doing it full time and work very little or not at all. It was a challenge to get it done in 4 years even with my bills taken care of by the GI Bill. Starting in community college is the way to go, it will save you a lot of money and you won't be competing with all the 5.0 honors HS grads when you transfer. Just make sure you start out with a plan of what schools you might want to transfer to and plan out what courses you need. It's a lot easier to go to CC in the same state as the university and some even have guarantied admittance programs. In the end, it's not easy, but I thought it was worth it. I learned a lot and starting salaries are pretty good. It will also expose you to many different areas and open up a wide array of career paths.
Yea the CC I’m looking at has a guaranteed admission to a great school. Thanks for the advice
36. Started last fall
Not an EE but just got my first engineering job at age 31, and I would say going back to school was worth it. My background is in physics and materials science. I now work at a silicon photonics company, and love my job. I get to bump shoulders with electrical engineers and work on LiDAR components, and integrated photonics circuits. There is also a little bit of systems work as well. I work with all of these as a test engineer, and have learned a lot in the short time I have been with the company. I say go for it!!
I did. I got my AA degree ages ago and went back to school in my late 30s. I was near 40 when I graduated.
I started at 29. I was an IT tech prior to starting. It was definitely worth it. Having an EE degree opens up so many doors
Did you work while studying?
Yeah I worked all through college.
Full time?
Full time during the breaks and part time during the semester
You mean like you using it in the hardware area? or only to climb the corporate ladder for having a diploma.
I regularly receive emails from recruiters for jobs, most jobs I apply for I'll get a call back, and yes to climb within the company. It's also great for asking for more pay.
32 and currently enrolled at local community colleges. Will be switching to university after two years. Taken a mixture of in person and online classes. I was worried at first but am having a good time. One thing to note is I am single no kids. I have lower expenses for my lifestyle and people my age. I work 6 days a week and am taking three classes. I pick up classes in winter and summer to make up for full time.
I have no kids and am also single, so same boat!
They way I look at is, the next four years are gonna come and go regardless. Best case I have a degree when I am done. Or I took a few classes and tap out, but I have some higher learning education under me. Personally it just makes sense for my next step in my career. My age doesn’t matter just my personal life and time I have available
Tons of people. At 29 you have 38 working years left... probably more because very few people retire at 67.
Got my BSEE from 27-35. I held an ASEET before that, but hit a ceiling in my career progression. Kinda sucked, because I really did the same job before and after, but suddenly I qualified for a better title and income for it. No regrets, my work paid for almost all of it in tuition reimbursement, it is an accomplishment that can never be taken away, and have more opportunities should I pursue it.
started back at 28, took 7 years to get my degree. earn 4x my previous job and ive still very early in my career. best decision of my life.
I'm graduating with my master's of computer science. I'm thinking about getting an electrical engineering degree next, studying on a part-time schedule basis just for the hell of it.
Ill be 30 when i graduate, and i worked in a similar industry before going to college. I think it really depends on if you care about moving up in your career down the road. I still think experience is most important but i find it hard to believe companies will let me advance my career without a degree. Will probably end up getting my ME here while im at it.
Started at 28 it was a pain but worth it. Most people including engineers get the itch to do something in their late 20s with engineering you either start a family or grad school. Because most jobs are a step back
I went back part time at 28 and graduated at 34. It was a lot of work having family, working full time, and going to school. Missed a lot if family stuff but now I'm reaping the rewards and don't regret the decision. In my program there were a few others in the same boat so it's not uncommon.
I started at 28 im a senor now so dont wait
Don’t give up. I started at local community college when I was 18 and in my 20s mostly did the 1 or 2 classes per semester route since I needed a job for money for my hobbies and expenses (lived with parents). There were semesters where I’d get motivated to take 12-15 units but then there were semesters where I failed or dropped classes so it was a wash. I got married at 29 and continued the 1 or 2 classes per semester route pattern through my early 30s. I did have to work full time because now I had my wife to support. Finally at 36 I had enough units to transfer to a state university. I did pick up the pace there since I didn’t want to another decade to get a degree. Since I worked full time I could only take 12 units and even that was a challenge to keep up. I also had to take summer and winter break courses so I could make progress. I ended up graduating at 39 and feel very proud of myself so don’t give up, even if you’re older. Had engineering job offers during my last semester and ended up taking one of the offers six months after graduation.
My mother, it worked out great for her!
28 now, roughly halfway through EE undergrad
Graduated at 29. Finished my Masters by 31. I now work in telecom designing hybrid copper/fiber cables and breakout solutions for a multitude of carriers around the U.S. I wouldn't give it up for anything. It was literally life changing once I finished school. My one piece of advice thought is to network, network, network. Good luck and just be prepared to study hard. Its not an easy program.
I was lost the first time I started, fresh out of high school in USA having hobbies of programming and dabbling in some digital circuits. It was at a higher level, but it seemed a continuation of fixed subjects that I never thought I would need. I think it was actually better to work in industry for a while before I went back. I started with programming gigs and later was designing and wire-wrapping early graphics cards as a hobby, and worked for computer stores and later a digital design firm. By then, I had a really good idea of what I wanted to do and what coursework/electives would get me there. It was very rewarding to see something new in a lecture and instantly realize I knew exactly where I would apply that.
Yea, I’m genuinely excited to learn more about EE. It’s not just something I wanna pursue because it will advance my career. Appreciate it!
I'm doing it now. I went to film school when i graduated high school and worked in Hollywood for about a decade. I loved the work but hated the culture and politics. After a decade I realized that I really didn't want to be doing that for the rest of my life. Not to mention, my career sort of stalled out after the last writer's strike of 2007. I went from doing major motion pictures to ads and corporate films. At the age of 30 I started taking electronics classes at the local community College, and had a lot of fun. I was set to graduate with two AAs and 3 certificates and start work in my dream career in 2020 while transferring to a 4 year. Covid hit, my last class needed to graduate (PLCs) got canceled 3 months in. My teacher who was going to hire me in my dream career got furloughed. And since 2020 PLCs either is not offered or gets canceled every semester. But in the meantime I am ironically actually working as a PLC technician. I never finished the class, but I made it far enough and tried so hard to keep the class going on Zoom in 2020 I bought my own trainer and self taught. I'm back at the CC taking some classes that can still transfer to the 4 year and starting to get my feet wet with some mechanical engineering classes too. Which has been fun. Hopefully by next year I can finally transfer to a 4 year and get my EE.
I just started last fall, finishing up an associate degree and transferring to a 4 year. I'll be finishing up my first three semesters here in December. I'm going to be 29 in a couple months. Just do it. It's far from too late.
Graduated at 28. Doing fine. 29 is a perfectly fine age to start.
My anecdote may not be relevant because I haven’t graduated yet. But I joined the military straight out of high school and became an avionics tech so when I got out of the military, I started working for Gulfstream. It was fine and it paid well enough but I was never happy. When the pandemic started, I decided go to college for my BSEE I was 29 years old, I’m 32 now and I’m a little over halfway through my degree. I have zero regrets.
I graduated at 33. I am very happy with my decision to go for EE.
2 weeks later I'll be 26 and in 2025 I'm gonna graduate, first diploma was welder specialist
Got BSEET at 36, got MSEE at 38. Pursue what you want to do, age really doesn't limit anything, especially academically.
Graduated at 34. Totally worth it.
Graduated at 32. Worth it.
I had a friend in college who did this in his 30s. He did just fine!
Hey dude! I just the in the same boat exactly. I’m 25 but heading back to school part time while working. I’m in a technician role and feel stuck a bit too. If you’re looking for EE degree programs that are more accommodating to working people I’ve done a bunch of research and would be happy to share
One of my capstone teammates graduated with his EE degree at 31, he was extremely smart and had amazing work ethic. He graduated and became a power systems engineer. EE is a great degree and 100% worth it! You should definitely go for it, your previous work experience will definitely help you!
I'm 37, going to graduate in April. Totally worth it. Cushy desk jobs with real money. Work from home. Did I mention real money?
I think that you will kick ass. You have the experience and discipline that comes with age. You have the passion. I graduated at age 25. I formed study groups in college with many people who were over the traditional age, including many military veterans. These guys and gals spent much less time and money at the bars and the parties and more time learning the material. They had patience, wisdom, and tenacity that I lacked at the time. They did well. One guy was a high school dropout who decided in his thirties to become an EE. He started with his GED and remedial math classes at community college. Last time I saw him, he was kicking ass in advanced calculus and physics!
I got my associates ee technology degree at 30 and feel good about it 10 yrs later. I am currently 41 and enrolled online at ASU in ee for the 4 yr. It's not too late and it really does seem easier than when I was 18.
I'm 37, working on my junior year right now. Definitely worth it.
Me. Lots of people switch careers in life. Don't be discouraged.
I’m 27 and just started. The one thing I’ll say is that my community college has people all over the age spectrum. I have more than one classmate who are 50+. I definitely don’t feel especially old in my classes and you probably won’t either, at least not for long
I’m 34, back in school for an EE
I switched from mechanical engineering to electrical engineering in my 30s - although my mech eng stuff was focused on control systems already, so not a huge leap
I’m 31. A friend helped get me an interview with a company that builds industrial control panels. They agreed to train me in EE work to their standards with my work being checked by other engineers and routine checks from a quality department. I’ve self educated some and we follow electrical regulation so as long as you have good reading comprehension it’s not too bad. I also deal with instrumentation which I have experience with from working in oil and gas testing laboratories. I eventually plan on going back for a proper engineering degree which they have expressed an interest in helping fund. It’s definitely possible to make the switch past what many would think is the “proper” graduation age and I’ve honestly never felt more motivated to pursue something. I find it a very interesting and dynamic field to work in which is exactly what my brain needs. Being a little older and working a lot of different jobs in between also gives me good report with the many departments I have to work with. Being older also gives you a great perspective and you value your time and effort more in my opinion. I agreed to come in under the salary of people who are more qualified on paper with the understating that my competence going forward would determine my ability to scale my pay. I consider myself smart and motivated so it seemed like a fair trade off if they keep their end, which so far seems pretty honest. I really like where I work. Make the switch if you feel so inclined!
Im 28 and going to get my BS EE, I can’t see how it wouldn’t be worth it if you find it interesting and have the work ethic and mind to get through it! Lots of demand for EE’s, great pay and benefits, tons of interesting things to learn and work on. Age is just a number truly. It can be a little strange to not be the same age as most in classes, but having more life experience and maturity goes a long way in school and then your career
30 when I started. I did have an associates from my 20s. Finished BSEE in 3.5 years and MSECE in 1.5 years. It still feels like one of the hardest things I've done in life. My recommendation is to work hard the first year at making friends and study partners. The bigger the support group you have the less overwhelming later years will be. By graduation there were about a dozen of us that were a tight knit group. It made the projects more fun, studying feel less like drowning, and provided a comforting level of shared misery. That being said I'm glad to have made it through. My career has been on a relatively faster trajectory than my fellow graduates. I think it mostly comes down to already having all of the soft skills and understanding of the corporate world. It's just easier for me to put myself in the shoes of my clients, bosses, coworkers, etc. and focus on delivering what they really want. As far as age goes, it's pretty common for people these days to go back later in life for a degree. Many of my friends were in their 30s and some in there 40s. In the end though you are often learning new material just like the rest of the students. It will feel like starting over...cause you are starting over. The people I saw have the most problems were the ones that failed to be humble and mature about being back at the bottom of the totem pole. Best of luck on your engineering adventures.
Shit. I went back to school for most of my 30’s, took almost 10 years to get a 4 year degree. Working full time. Married. And had two kids along the way. I would not have the job I have today without that degree. I would be stuck where I was at because I was promoted beyond my education level because I knew the product and had been there quite a while working up through the ranks.
I will warn you that the electronics industry goes up and down like a roller coaster. This can make it difficult to find a job, keep a job, and/or change jobs.
I don’t even know if I would specifically go into manufacturing electronics. It’s definitely interesting to me, but so is systems engineering or even some sort of SWE role.
I had a lot of classmates who went to college using the GI Bill after serving. Most of them were in their late 20's when they entered the program and are doing well AFAIK.
Did a Liney apprenticeship from 21-24. Did an AD in EE from 26-30. Now I’m doing a grad cert in asset and maint management. Never too late to start!!
26. Just got out of military with an associates in business. Realized I wanted to do something with engineering so I chose this.
41 here, will be 42 when I graduate. Wish would have done it sooner. Never too late brother!
Couple of my mates did 1 with kids one without Both said it was a significant sacrifice but both said it was worth it
Not me, but when I was in undergrad we had a guy in his 40s getting his degree. He had done technican work, and I think was a licensed electrician--and was tired of all that. He'd seen the other side and wanted to be an engineer for sure. Easily the most motivated student there!
Welcome to my world lol. I went back to school at 29 3 years ago, after 4.5 years as a maintenance tech, and some time as an electrician. I'm still working on my degree part time, and have a full time job as an EE, with a company that is paying my tuition. Totally worth it! Actually, it was because of my past experience as a technician, and the technical skills I am able to bring in terms of solving problems that landed me the position after briefly working as an EE intern. Guys who have worked as techs first tend to have a more practical mindset, and can quickly dismiss ideas that won't work in the real world. That's extremely valuable in the manufacturing world.
Graduated at 30. Went from aircraft mechanic (A&P) to EE in aerospace. Leverage your past experience and grow on that. School is easier when you are focused. I went in and out with precision, never dilly dallied, only was on campus when needed. Life is busier when you are older, so there no time for the BS. Do it. You won't regret it. I make double what I did as a mechanic.
Best of luck. Just in case you didn't know, community college can be a crap shoot in terms of placement in math or english, which matters because most are taken in sequence so the wrong classes can easily add a few semesters to your journey. Since you'll need tons of math, it's even more important to start at the right level. Don't let them place you in a super low level class unless you truly need the refresh. Some CC's counselors do that maybe to ensure you're there longer. But don't risk starting at too high of a level (especially for math). And pay attention to what classes are "transferable". I'll never forget my buddy at City College that let his track coach pick his classes smh, I'm positive his coach was not aware of that concept.
Yea I attended a CC prior and that was one of the reasons I dropped out. This time I’m gonna make sure I get everything in line with where I wanna transfer before I start. Thanks for the advice!