Mechanical vs Aeronautical Engineering

[Cy-Fy]

Hey guys (especially you Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineers) I would just like to know what would be the best to choose? I know it is very opinionated but bare with me:

I know mechanical engineering ha more jobs available whereas aeronautical engineering is a specialisation but having said that all jobs in the aeronautics industry are amazing and attract me a lot (from defence to formula 1). What I am saying is that mechanical engineering has more jobs available but a lot of those jobs are things that I find boring like HVAC systems or maintenance scheduling etc of machines.

 

Do you have any advice on how to mae up my mind?

 

Thank you guys!

[Real_PhillBert]

ME here. I always suggest that people stay as generalized as reasonably possible. Aerospace is a very fickle industry and goes through a lot more boom-bust cycles where you could find yourself out. Generally speaking an ME can do and AEs job, but an AE cannot always do an MEs job. 

 

For example I work in the Agricultural industry, and one of my coworkers used to work for Bell Helicopters with his ME degree. We would be much less likely to hire him if he had an AE degree. 

 

That said, there are plenty of people who have very successful careers with AE degrees. It's all about what you want. 

[Cy-Fy]

8 minutes ago, Real_PhillBert said:

ME here. I always suggest that people stay as generalized as reasonably possible. Aerospace is a very fickle industry and goes through a lot more boom-bust cycles where you could find yourself out. Generally speaking an ME can do and AEs job, but an AE cannot always do an MEs job. 

 

For example I work in the Agricultural industry, and one of my coworkers used to work for Bell Helicopters with his ME degree. We would be much less likely to hire him if he had an AE degree. 

 

That said, there are plenty of people who have very successful careers with AE degrees. It's all about what you want. 

Thanks very much man this is helpful. When you say "it's all about what you want" I agree completely but it is also the most difficult part  It is difficult to know whether I am going to find ME jobs attractive by the time I graduate and since you can't do both hahaha it is a difficult choice. Don't get me wrong I have always thought that ME was the right choice for me it is just recently I've been thinking that a more specialised course could give me access to more specialised jobs that are just "cooler" if you know what I mean.

[Real_PhillBert]

4 minutes ago, Cy-Fy said:

Thanks very much man this is helpful. When you say "it's all about what you want" I agree completely but it is also the most difficult part  It is difficult to know whether I am going to find ME jobs attractive by the time I graduate and since you can't do both hahaha it is a difficult choice. Don't get me wrong I have always thought that ME was the right choice for me it is just recently I've been thinking that a more specialised course could give me access to more specialised jobs that are just "cooler" if you know what I mean.

You really can do both jobs with an ME degree, but not so much with an AE degree.

 

I graduated with a couple people in my ME class that now work for NASA. An ME degree does not rule out working in aerospace. 

[Speedyv]

30 minutes ago, Real_PhillBert said:

You really can do both jobs with an ME degree, but not so much with an AE degree.

 

I graduated with a couple people in my ME class that now work for NASA. An ME degree does not rule out working in aerospace. 

We talked about this a while ago and I followed your advice doinge ME. A lot of universities also do not have AE as an option while other combine it with ME.

 

But I did find that a lot of people workibg at Boeing did actually have AE degrees.

[Cy-Fy]

33 minutes ago, Real_PhillBert said:

You really can do both jobs with an ME degree, but not so much with an AE degree.

 

I graduated with a couple people in my ME class that now work for NASA. An ME degree does not rule out working in aerospace. 

Thanks man for the information.

 

4 minutes ago, Speedyv said:

We talked about this a while ago and I followed your advice doinge ME. A lot of universities also do not have AE as an option while other combine it with ME.

 

But I did find that a lot of people workibg at Boeing did actually have AE degrees.

Thanks as well. So have you already started studying ME? How are you finding it? compared to what you thought AE was going to be like?

Thanks

[Bonssons]

If you don't have a target job in mind, ME would be the best option. It is a more generalized course, it will provide you more options and a more wide area to specialize later.

However, if you have a target job in mind, no need to think munch. Just go for AE if that is the case. Both of them are good areas where you will probably find a good job.

 

And don't think that if you do AE, you won't be able to work as a ME, or vice-versa. The base (math and physics) is the same, and they overlap in some areas. Depending on what you specialize later, it is not difficult to change areas.

 

obs 1: Computer Engineer here. So I'm not doing ME or AE.

[Speedyv]

4 hours ago, Cy-Fy said:

Thanks man for the information.

 

Thanks as well. So have you already started studying ME? How are you finding it? compared to what you thought AE was going to be like?

Thanks

I'm gonna be starting in September. Initially it won't be much different (for about the first couple of years), same core classes until they specialize the courses of AE more toward aero stuff.

[Cy-Fy]

15 hours ago, Bonssons said:

If you don't have a target job in mind, ME would be the best option. It is a more generalized course, it will provide you more options and a more wide area to specialize later.

However, if you have a target job in mind, no need to think munch. Just go for AE if that is the case. Both of them are good areas where you will probably find a good job.

 

And don't think that if you do AE, you won't be able to work as a ME, or vice-versa. The base (math and physics) is the same, and they overlap in some areas. Depending on what you specialize later, it is not difficult to change areas.

 

obs 1: Computer Engineer here. So I'm not doing ME or AE.

 

11 hours ago, Speedyv said:

I'm gonna be starting in September. Initially it won't be much different (for about the first couple of years), same core classes until they specialize the courses of AE more toward aero stuff.

 

Alright thanks guys! To be honest with you I don't have a particular passion for aerospace any greater than my passion for engineering in general. The main reason why I consider AE is because it seems to give certain people the opportunity to go straight into industries which interest me a lot (like formula1) straight after uni due to the links the uni I'm thinking of applying to has with f1 teams. Then again this would 99% of the time lead to an aerodynamicist job which I have no idea if it is what I would like.

[Cy-Fy]

16 hours ago, Real_PhillBert said:

You really can do both jobs with an ME degree, but not so much with an AE degree.

 

I graduated with a couple people in my ME class that now work for NASA. An ME degree does not rule out working in aerospace. 

I meant to tag you on my post above but anyway...