phd in engineering is it worth it

Should Engineers Get a PHD? 11 Truths!

Should engineers get a PhD? Depends on what you want to achieve in your career. There are ups and downs to pursuing a PhD in engineering.

To figure it out, start by asking yourself what kind of career you’re after. Your decision will be based on factors like:

Your interests
How much money you want to make
The lifestyle you desire
Your other career options

We’ll chat about these four pointers, and then dive headfirst into 11 extra tips to help you size up the pros and cons of pursuing a PhD in engineering.

Important Note: I’ll be generalizing each factor I discuss, so keep in mind that there are always exceptions. And don’t forget that some superstar engineers will fly high whether they have a PhD or not. Success can come either way!

What really interests you in engineering?

A PhD can give you a leg up when tackling groundbreaking technological challenges. Without one, you might find it tough to access such work. But if you’re into more typical engineering gigs in the industry, then a PhD won’t be worth the time and money.

Usually, people go for a PhD if they want to become a specialist or researcher, or if they have their sights set on an academic career. A PhD can provide flexibility between industry and academia, letting you explore fresh ideas and spearhead innovative projects.

Here’s my two cents on both academia and industry:

In academia

In this world, your work might not make an immediate real-world splash. It could take years or even decades for your research to be recognized and applied. So, if you’re looking to become an overnight sensation, you might want to think again.

But you know what? To a select few who are passionate about your field, your work will be a big deal. You’ll have the chance to share your unique ideas with like-minded folks and make a difference in your little corner of the world.

And never forget that every small step you take will ultimately contribute to the greater good of humanity.

In industry

Meanwhile, in the industry, your work can make an instant impact. You’ll tackle awesome projects that are directly tied to a company’s goals, making a real difference in people’s lives.

Take, for example, working on R&D for batteries. Batteries are essential for our future, and every tiny improvement can change our lives in a big way.

The downside? Your company might not give you the credit you deserve for your groundbreaking work. But don’t sweat it – there are loads of similar opportunities for PhD holders who are motivated and inventive.

All in all, whether you pick academia or industry, you’ll have plenty of chances to change the world. Just keep cranking out top-notch work, and everything else will fall into place.

How much money do you want to make?

First off, don’t pay for your PhD yourself. If you can’t get funding, it means the market doesn’t see the value in your research.

Even with funding, you might only make $20k to $40k a year, depending on your university. If you’d gone straight into the industry, you could be pocketing $150k or more each year. Then you could invest that salary in real estate, businesses, you name it.

So, if money’s your main concern, you’ll lag behind your peers who jumped straight into the industry. Because while you’re spending 3 to 5 years earning a PhD and living on ramen noodles, they’ll be making bank.

And if you’re thinking about academia after your PhD, buckle up for even more financial hurdles.

Let’s be real: a PhD is a massive investment of time and money. If dollar signs are all you see, don’t bother with a PhD.

Important Note: Engineers with PhDs who start multi-million dollar businesses are exceptions, just like college dropouts who start multi-billion dollar businesses.

PhD stipends from major U.S. universities

Check this shortlist of engineering department stipends from major universities, put together by PhD Stipends :

As you can tell, diving into a PhD in engineering might not make you rich overnight. But, hey, it does give you the chance to work on some mind-blowing research and help shape the world of tomorrow.

Important Note: Don’t forget to weigh in the cost of living when you’re checking out those PhD stipends. Higher stipends usually come with a heftier price tag on everyday life, like in the Bay Area where Stanford is nestled.

What type of lifestyle do you want?

Dreaming of a chill, easygoing life? Academia might not be your jam. You could grind away for years and never snag that elusive academic tenure. Even in the industry, you might land just an ordinary engineering gig, making your PhD feel like a waste.

The professional stress from this uncertain journey can seep into your personal life. Financial struggles might become your constant companion, impacting every corner of your life. But hey, with a PhD, you get the keys to the world’s coolest toys and can work in top-notch national labs and fancy universities.

If you’re down to embrace uncertainty into your golden years, a PhD could be worth the ride. You may trade short-term comfort for the shot at doing what sets your soul on fire in the long run.

Mind you, I use the term sacrifice lightly. If you’re head over heels for your research, nothing else will even matter.

Do you have other options in life?

If you’re still feeling the PhD vibe after all this, ask yourself:

Do you have any other career options?
Is there another gig that’s tugging at your heartstrings?

If you said yes to either, hold your horses! Give some serious thought to whether a PhD is really your destiny. I’ve got friends who ditched their PhD programs to start businesses, and now they’re swimming in millions!

On the flip side, I know folks who chased a PhD just to immigrate to the US for a better life. But listen, don’t just follow the crowd. Committing to a PhD is a massive deal and can change your life in a big way.

This is further highlighted by the low number of U.S. students going for a PhD in engineering each year. The data below, from ASEE , includes all engineering fields combined.

Important Note: The number of awarded engineering doctorate degrees is increasing. But the U.S. population is also increasing, and more foreign students are immigrating to the U.S. to pursue a PhD.

11 Pointers to consider in pursuing a PhD in engineering

Now, here are 11 pointers I’ve gathered from my pals and relatives who’ve gone down the PhD-in-engineering rabbit hole:

#1 Choose a research topic with real-world oomph

Picking the perfect research topic is the key to unlocking your PhD’s potential. Focus on fields that are shining bright, like:

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Renewable energy

These areas tend to reel in more funding and have a higher demand in both academia and industry. After all, you still gotta pay the bills and keep a roof over your head.

#2 A PhD hones your thinking skills, not just your specialization

In the real world, you might not use all that fancy research know-how from your PhD. Instead, you’ll rely on your shiny new way of thinking to tackle problems.

So, a PhD isn’t just about becoming the go-to person in a super-niche field. It’s also about learning how to think and tackle the tough stuff.

And, hey, you can pick up these skills outside the hallowed halls of academia too.

#3 Don’t expect a PhD to put you on a pedestal

Sure, a PhD might make some folks go “ooh” and “aah,” but at the end of the day, it’s all about delivering the goods. Your skills and passion for the job are what really count, not the alphabet soup trailing your name.

I’m all about treating everyone equally, regardless of their academic fanfare.

Of course, a PhD can give you a credibility boost when making first impressions. But remember, it’s what you do next that really matters.

#4 A PhD can open doors, but it might close some too

A PhD can help you score high-level gigs at big-shot companies with in-house research and development. But beware – it might also slam some doors shut if you’re deemed overqualified for certain roles.

Choose your career path wisely and take time to think through your future pragmatically.

#5 Dive into a PhD in a subject that ignites your passion

Being passionate about your subject is the secret sauce to staying motivated during your PhD journey. Surround yourself with amazing people who share your interests, or you’ll struggle through the tough times – and trust me, there’ll be plenty.

#6 Don’t chase a PhD for the wrong reasons

Don’t go after a PhD just because “it’s what smart people do” or because you want to add some extra letters to your name.

Let’s get real here: a PhD doesn’t magically transform you into a genius. Heck, some of the brightest minds out there never even set foot in a college classroom!

If you were a regular Joe or Jane before diving into a PhD program, chances are you’ll still be one when you’re done. But hey, you don’t need to be a mega-brainiac to tackle a PhD. If you can snag a spot in a program, you’ve definitely got what it takes to see it through.

#7 Fear not the PhD pursuit

Some folks are scared stiff of the grueling trek to PhD-land. It’s like climbing a never-ending mountain, right?

Well, anything worth chasing is gonna be tough. If it were a piece of cake, everybody and their dog would be doing it!

#8 A PhD isn’t for everyone

To nail that PhD, you need a killer work ethic and a fierce dedication to your field. That’s what’ll help you conquer those hurdles and push through the lonely stretches.

Let’s face it: the PhD life isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Just look at the small number of doctorates awarded each year in the U.S., as reported by ASEE. The data below covers all engineering fields combined:

And if you’re bold enough to take on a PhD, you’re probably an ambitious go-getter. So you’ll no doubt find some other epic challenge to sink your teeth into.

#9 Pick your program and advisor like a pro

The right program and advisor can make or break your PhD ride.

Seriously, you’ll be bending over backward for your advisor for years. They’ve got the power to make your life a living nightmare. Keep your eyes peeled for these red flags:

A bad advisor:

Is a grade-A jerk
Makes everything about them
Squeezes you for free labor and grinds you down
Fills you with guilt and doubt

A good advisor:

Is super nice and supportive
Turns you into a top-notch researcher
Dishes out awesome life advice
Hooks you up with conferences and fellowships
Lets you visit other labs

So do your homework and pick your program and advisor with care.

#10 Weigh the impact on your loved ones

I’ve known people who juggled family life and a PhD. Sure, it was a bumpy road, but they made it work.

Keep in mind that a PhD can take ages, and your biological clock won’t wait around for you to finish.

#11 Industry jobs for PhD grads

Dreaming of a PhD to score an industry job? From what I’ve seen, here are a couple of paths for PhD graduates:

Work in well-funded government labs, doing the research thing.
Join big-league companies like Google, Apple, or IBM that can afford to splash cash on research.

If that doesn’t float your boat, a Master’s degree might be all you need for other engineering gigs in the industry.

Important Note: During recessions, R&D departments usually hold steady. R&D is a long-haul investment for a company, after all.

If an R&D project kicks off during a slump, it’ll wrap up just as the economy bounces back. That way, the company comes out stronger on the other side.

“Should engineers get a PhD” wrap up

Deciding to pursue a PhD is a deeply personal choice that deserves some serious soul-searching.

Don’t let peer pressure sway you. Take a good, hard look at the pros and cons, and make the call that’s right for you.

Now, I’ve met engineers who’d never trade their PhD experience for the world. But others reckon it was the worst decision they ever made.

At the end of the day, a PhD is all about the journey, not just the fancy certificate and those three little letters you get to tack onto your name.

Do you think a PhD in engineering is worthwhile? Will it be even more valuable down the road?

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Author Bio: Koosha started Engineer Calcs in 2019 to help people better understand the engineering and construction industry, and to discuss various science and engineering-related topics to make people think. He has been working in the engineering and tech industry in California for well over 15 years now and is a licensed professional electrical engineer, and also has various entrepreneurial pursuits.

Koosha has an extensive background in the design and specification of electrical systems with areas of expertise including power generation, transmission, distribution, instrumentation and controls, and water distribution and pumping as well as alternative energy (wind, solar, geothermal, and storage).

Koosha is most interested in engineering innovations, the cosmos, sports, fitness, and our history and future.

6 thoughts on “Should Engineers Get a PHD? 11 Truths!”

The most insightful comparison I’ve found on this topic so far. Thank you.

Glad you found the article helpful 🙂

Thanks for that nicely summed up article – not too long and covers the important points on everybody’s mind! 🙂

Glad you enjoyed the read 🙂

Thank you, I have just been searching for info about this subject for ages and yours is the best I have found out till now. However, what in regards to the conclusion? Are you positive about the source?

I tried to capture all angles of the experience, so do your best to apply the lessons to your personality and reasons for pursuing the degree.

Should You Get Your PhD in Engineering?

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Is it worth it to continue the academic track towards an engineering PhD, or are you be better off going into the industry, paying back those student loans? The answer depends on what you want from your engineering career.

Do You Enjoy Research?

The greatest advantage of the PhD is that it gives you experience in carrying out detailed research. Your Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees are focused on learning things that are already known, but the PhD teaches you to find out new things, to carry out experiments, to report data, and learn from your mistakes.

Ideally, you become a subject matter expert in your chosen focus. That puts you in a great position for jobs that require that specific expertise, or where research skills are highly valued.

Preet Anand, CEO of technology company BlueLight , says that you need to think about what role you want. “A PhD is incredibly important for anyone involved with scientific innovation and research. However, if your aspirations are to be involved with implementation and quickly moving into the business side, a PhD is probably not effective from a time-ROI perspective. It’s especially not helpful if you’re working in software, where the speed of innovation in industry is quicker than the speed of academia.”

Forensic engineer Robert McElroy specializes in technical failure analysis related to automobiles, heavy trucks, and all types of industrial vehicles, and is an internationally recognized expert on the causes of industrial and transportation accidents. He stresses that his PhD has both commercial and technical benefits. “As a serial entrepreneur and forensic engineer, without the PhD, I could never have accomplished what I have been fortunate enough to achieve.”

An Engineering PhD Opens Doors…

Karen Thole, Department Head of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering at Pennsylvania State University and member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers , explains that the usefulness of PhDs in industry quite depends upon the industry itself. “Many high tech industries continue to develop “tools” to help their engineers determine better designs. The development of such tools generally requires a graduate level understanding. And, a company’s tools are what set apart the competition. For example, there are several companies that make gas turbine engines with the basic architecture being the same. What sets companies apart, however, are those that do their own tool development such as predictive codes, design codes, standard work practices, etc. As tools improve, it helps to advance technology and develop better engines. To improve the tools, however, it requires a high level of understanding of the physics, which is where PhDs come in. The more technologically advanced the company, the more it takes some sort of research center, which generally employs PhDs.”

“I have yet to find a jobless, homeless PhD in engineering.”

Naturally, this means that some industries have far more demand for PhDs than others. “The aerospace industries as well as the high tech electronics industries both look for PhDs,” says Thole. “They’re generally the ones which require ME and EE disciplines.”

David Gantshar, CEO of engineering recruiters Shepherd Search Group Inc. notes that the value of a PhD often depends on the character of the senior management. Companies founded or led by PhDs tend to have more respect for those who have been through the same academic training. “A PhD is highly valued in some circumstances and not necessary at other times,” he says. “For a vice president of engineering or another senior executive position, it can be a big plus, especially if the company president himself has a PhD. The PhD degree reflects intense and successful research and would be valued in an R&D environment. If the president of the organization has one, he/she will value those individuals that are “on par” academically and offer credentials similar to those around the table. However for a senior engineering or manager’s position, it is rarely required.”

… Unless It Closes Them

However, one problem faced by many PhDs is that they’re often regarded as “too academic,” and therefore not suited to the pace and pressures of commercial engineering.

Should You Get Your PhD in Engineering Engineer Jobs NASA

Credit: NASA

Whether or not that’s true, it’s certainly a perception you have to battle with, as Gantshar notes. “It really depends on the organization. Some companies might see a Ph.D. as too research oriented and would identify the engineer as insufficiently hands-on. We have seen many instances where a PhD has actually worked against a candidate in these circumstances and the individual with less academic credentials is selected based upon these perceptions.”

What About Non-STEM PhDs?

If you’re thinking of going into the management role, then it may be worth considering a PhD which proves your business credentials. Combined with your engineering experience, it can give you a major advantage over other managers.

Sonja Fisher recently completed her PhD in business. “It has been very helpful,” she says, with evident pride. “I am getting opportunities left and right. I seem to be more in demand since getting my PhD.”

Should You Get Your PhD?

If you’re looking for a research role, a job requiring very specific expertise or a position in a company that’s known for innovation or R&D, then a PhD can pay great dividends. According to the latest Engineering Income and Salary Survey , on average, you’ll earn about 35% more than an engineer with a Bachelor’s degree – typically about $30,000 a year. That’s a huge payoff for those few years of research.

Equally importantly, a PhD will give you a level of job security that a lesser degree won’t give you. “I have yet to find a jobless, homeless PhD in engineering. That’s my simple answer,” grins Thole. Not only that, but it opens up new opportunities. “The PhD really allows you to tailor your own career a bit more. Generally companies want their PhDs to seek out new ideas and think bigger about the field. So, it presents more opportunities to do what you want.”

Source: Engineerjobs.com

Choose Between a Master's, Ph.D. in Engineering

A doctorate in engineering requires a love of research and patience for several years of challenging study.

Weigh a Master's, Ph.D. in Engineering

Engineering students reviewing notes on clipboard in a machine lab

Students who pursue a graduate degree in engineering will be more competitive in the job market than those with just a bachelor's, experts say.

When it comes to employment, graduates with a bachelor's degree in engineering are on solid footing, relatively speaking. With high salaries and some of the best odds of finding full-time work , they can escape the career angst that often plagues their peers with freshly-minted English or history diplomas.

Still, many engineers may find themselves wondering what a graduate degree could do for their career.

"With the economy improving, significant numbers of job postings are now requiring higher levels of expertise," says Ken Little, senior graduate career development adviser at Georgia Institute of Technology . At the same time, high-tech jobs are becoming more globally competitive, drawing applicants from all over the world, he says.

Students looking to get a graduate degree in engineering can choose between a master's program and a Ph.D. It's a big decision, experts say, and one that can significantly affect a student's career.

Learn why engineers may be more

Before choosing what kind of graduate degree to pursue, students should think about what they want to do with their lives after graduation, experts say.

Master's degrees prepare students for careers in industry that don't have a research focus, says Babatunde Ogunnaike, dean of the college of engineering at the University of Delaware . "If you want to work in research either in industry or in academia or for a government research lab, you need to get a Ph.D.," he says.

Eddie Machek, who is earning a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Akron and who will start a doctoral program in engineering at Georgia Tech this fall, explains the difference between the degrees this way: "At a bachelor's level you are going to go out and do what's been done. At the master's level you are going to be in charge of the people who are doing that stuff. In a Ph.D., that's a whole other thing because you are doing the new stuff. You are in a lab."

Master's degrees in engineering can be a great fit for recent graduates who want to specialize within engineering or for those already in the field who want to switch their focus, experts say. The degrees can be research-based, which is the more common option, or professional, which lack a research component.

“It opens the door for more specialized opportunities in the workforce," Craig Menzemer, associate dean for graduate studies and administration at the University of Akron, said through email. "For example, a civil engineer with a bachelor’s degree may be expected to do a variety of day-to-day tasks, but a civil engineering major with a master’s who specialized in structures will have opportunities to work on structural-specific projects."

Discover the

Aditya Srinath, who earned his master's in industrial engineering from Purdue University in 2014, says he opted for the credential because it helped him bolster his professional skills rather than research skills. "A master's strikes a good balance between having more education than a bachelor's and not as much as Ph.D but still having a more rounded-out profile," says Srinath, who works as a project engineer at 3M, which manufactures a wide array of products, including Post-it Notes.

Engineering Ph.D.s provide even more specialization than master's degrees, and a higher earning potential, but they also come with significant risks, experts say.

Research jobs within government labs and industry are quite competitive, and tenure-track faculty positions are notoriously hard to come by, says George Haritos, dean of the college of engineering at the University of Akron. What's more, sometimes employers in industry won't hire Ph.D.s because they fear they are overqualified and would have to pay them too much, he says.

Doctoral programs require students to put in a great deal of time and effort, experts say. Not everyone finishes the programs, and those who do are both gifted and passionate about their subject.

Scottie-Beth Fleming, who is earning a doctorate in aerospace engineering from Georgia Tech, says she enjoys the independence that comes with a Ph.D.

"With the master's, a lot of times, your research is driven by the government or someone who is giving money and there is an expectation of what you are going to do," she says. "In a Ph.D. you don’t have that expectation. You get to explore an area that maybe nobody else would explore."

Before making a final decision about what kind of advanced engineering degree to pursue, students should also look into the requirements of their field, says Susan Fisher, director of graduate programs at Purdue University's engineering school.

For example, chemical engineering and biomedical engineering have more employment opportunities for Ph.D. students, she says. Civil engineering, on the other hand, has more employment openings outside academia for those with master’s degrees than for those with doctorates.

One way students can gauge whether they are ready for a Ph.D is to take a few research-focused courses either in undergrad or while in a master's program, experts say.

"The goal is to find out what you are truly passionate about and find a good way to apply that to the world," Srinath says.

Searching for an engineering school? Get our complete rankings of Best Engineering Schools.

Tags: education , engineering graduate school , graduate schools , STEM education , STEM , students

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How to Know If You Should Get a PhD in Engineering?

February 28, 2022
One Comment

A PhD degree in engineering is a must! It opens many opportunities for you and your career. For instance, a PhD gives you the ability to start-up research programs, gain experience with new technologies, and become an expert in your field of study. A faculty position is also easily attainable with a PhD . Engineering positions are always highly competitive so having your PhD will set you apart from the rest.

Having a PhD in engineering is one of the most prestigious titles out there. You’re by far better off with one than without one. the benefits of having a PhD in engineering are numerous and can affect almost every aspect of your life.

Why is a PhD in Engineering important?

PhD s are important for the economy. A PhD degree is a research degree and one of the main things that academia contributes to the world is new knowledge. A PhD in Engineering helps to teach people how to do research and to make discoveries. Companies like Google employ a lot of PhDs to help them stay on top of their game and keep innovating.

As an engineer, you need to know how to solve problems. You will encounter a lot of problems in your research and studies, can also encounter problems in your job or career.

The main part is to know how to find a good problem to work on. This requires some effort and practice. The more you work on finding problems, the better you become at it.

You need to know how to solve problems. Solving a problem requires understanding and creating models of the problem you are trying to solve and using these models. To create solutions that are easy to explain, implement and maintain.

Do you need a PhD to get hired by a good company with nice benefits?

It depends on your specialisation within the engineering field. If you hold a PhD in electrical engineering . There are chances to get hired as a senior research scientist at a major tech company (like Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon).

What skills do you require to have a PhD in Engineering?

If you have your heart set on a career in research and development, then a PhD in engineering is the way to go. Interested to teach at a university, then it will also be very useful. You have to be way more technical around subjects and have a passion to dig deep.

What are my career options with an engineering PhD?

If you’re considering a PhD in engineering , you may be curious about what your career options are after graduation. Let’s look at some possible careers and the types of jobs available to those with an engineering doctorate.

Engineering Education

Perhaps the most common option for those with a PhD in engineering is to enter academia as a professor. However, this represents only one aspect of education as a career option. Other jobs include curriculum development and research for companies that produce instructional materials and educational software.

Engineering Research and Development

PhD programs in engineering – Because it allows them to focus on the types of problems they enjoy solving or have experience in solving during their academic career.

If you’re interested in this type of job, you might consider working as an R&D engineer for a company or specializing in a particular area like biotechnology or nanotechnology as a researcher with an academic institution or government entity.

Engineering Management Careers

A PhD in engineering may also help you advance your managerial role. Your current knowledge may not be enough to help you achieve your goals.

A PhD in engineering management can make you more marketable in today’s competitive industry. It can also help you navigate the advanced concepts of managing people and projects both at present and in the future.

Can I have an engineering PhD and still start my own business?

Yes it is possible:, there are several ways to do it:.

The most straightforward way is to be in a field where you can start your own business right after your PhD Program .
The second way is with Aimlay. Aimlay offers services preferably for working professionals who are willing to complete their PhD Degree while working their jobs. We help you every step of the way. We make it easier for you, where you can use your free time with your research.
The third way is to join a startup as an employee. Then try to get into the top management of the company over time. This can take a long time and may or may not happen depending on your skills and luck.
The fourth way is to join a research organization and then use your connections there to find clients for your own. This can also take a long time, but it’s easier because you don’t need any money or other resources as such. Just connections with researchers and/or clients, which you can get through working in a research organization itself.

So, my advice would be that if you want to start your own business soon, then think of an idea while you’re doing your PhD (preferably before starting it). That you can develop during your PhD itself and then implement soon after getting your PhD without needing much external help or capital investment.

When deciding whether or not to pursue a PhD degree, remember that the field is far broader than the academic world. Engineers work in many industries, and a PhD is only one path. Confidence in your engineering background and technical skills is crucial when applying for positions away from academia. Employers will be impressed by your technical prowess, and if you can prove that you are an effective researcher when faced with challenges, then you are showing them how you can bring something new to the table as well. If and when you embrace your career, remember that life doesn’t end at five years out of school: there is always more to do, more to learn and more to contribute.

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What is the eligibility criteria for pursuing a PhD in engineering degree?

GET YOUR PhD IN ENGINEERING

Ph.D. in engineering is a prestigious doctoral degree obtained upon completion of a postgraduate program in engineering from an accredited institution. This rigorous degree involves extensive research, course work, and often includes teaching responsibilities for undergraduate students. It provides advanced knowledge and expertise in specialized engineering fields, paving the way for career opportunities in academia, research, industry leadership, and innovation.

PhD in Engineering

Course work for an engineering doctorate generally includes quantitative research methods and highly specialized classes in the student's engineering specialty. In addition, students working toward a PhD in engineering can expect to complete a written dissertation based on original research.

Graduates of PhD in Engineering programs can work as professors at research universities, dedicate their expertise to industrial or government research labs, or create a business around their own innovation. Consider building your career as the developer of a green energy trend, discovering a life-saving biomedical process, or taking the world to the next global communication platform.

Types of Engineering PhD Programs

Doctorate programs in engineering usually grant graduates with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, although some might award a Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng or D.E.), depending on the college or university.

Typically, doctoral students work closely with one or more engineering professors who serve as PhD advisers, guiding them through their research and dissertation. As part of the dissertation process, schools may require PhD candidates to pass either written or oral (or both) qualifying exams and to defend their research conclusions before their PhD advisory committee.

Earning a PhD in engineering generally involves five to seven years of graduate study, with substantial professional opportunities awaiting those who hold this highly respected degree.

Online PhD Programs

Online education offers its own set of benefits , from flexible class scheduling to savings on tuition and commuting costs. In particular, working adults interested in completing their studies without quitting their job or sacrificing family commitments will find online learning well-suited to their priorities. That said, engineering PhD programs are not common across all specialties. Master's-level online engineering programs are much more prevalent, and, of course, an MS or MEng is a standard requirement for an engineering PhD. If you do not already hold an engineering master's degree, you might consider online education as a potential route for earning that credential. Traditional engineering PhD programs will set their own terms for potential PhD candidates, and you may find a college willing to let you take some of the required course work via online learning. Overall, however, the nature of an engineering PhD program necessitates a solid commitment to in-person time spent with PhD advisers and on lab or real-world research.

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Is a Ph.D. Worth It Anymore? Cont'd

Three more readers share their critical experiences of working toward a Ph.D. and the postdoctorate that often accompanies it. Here’s Mary:

I spent (too many) years in a prestigious PhD program. During my post-doc, I saw newly-hired Assistant Professors work 60-hour weeks to generate preliminary data in order to secure funding during lean years (early ‘90s). They spent their Saturdays in the lab, bringing their young children with them. (The kids wrote on white boards. One spouse cleaned the lab.) Quite simply, I did not possess the interest or drive for this kind of life. When my son was born, I determined that I would earn a living in a way that provided economic security, as well as time to be there for him. Initially, I was fortunate to secure a non-research position in a government agency. I later moved to the private sector. There is an arrogance about academia that is imparted to doctoral students: that the tenure-track position is “pure” research and the only honorable path for a PhD. Stuff and nonsense.

Begin with the rate at which students for a particular advisor may graduate. One per year? One every other year? In a 30-year career, a lab chief may churn out 20 PhDs. There are far too few academic positions to justify this; rather, graduate students and post-docs are inexpensive labor. I wonder about the thinking that keeps trainees believing that they will be the exceptional ones to beat those odds. I love what I do, and those 10 years were worth the opportunity cost. In my 21-year career, I have used my training, and the way I learned to think, most days. Bonus: I have a life outside work. Look around, students: The academic career is not your only, or even your best, option.

Ilya would agree, and he emphasizes the upsides of the private sector to drive scientific progress:

Bachelor’s degrees are not for all people and all walks of life, and advanced degrees all the more so. I tried to get a Ph.D. in an engineering field. Leaving with a master’s was a great decision, even though it was largely forced on me. Over the ensuing years, I watched my friends who had stayed for the long slog become increasingly bitter. Here’s why. Academic research is the right channel, if not the only channel, for strikingly original, pathbreaking work. Once a field begins to attract private investment, however, academia needs to step back. Once a field has reached a certain level of popularity and recognition, the number of strivers greatly exceeds the number of original directions available, leading to duplicate work and dissertations of little value. In fields (such as mine) that require expensive and temperamental lab equipment, a company can afford to buy the best tools and hire technicians to maintain them. Graduate students waste years fussing over obsolete instruments. And, finally, academia tends to breed faculty with outsized egos who abuse students as a source of cheap labor for their pet projects. Companies, although not perfect, are much better at aligning the interests of frontline workers and management, and at killing projects that aren’t worthwhile. A doctorate remains the minimum credential to be a professor, which is fair. In some fields, though, even companies will not consider applicants who lack doctorates. This is part fetishism, part hazing ritual. In my field, I have found a Ph.D. to be usually valued as much or less than an equivalent number of years of private-sector experience, and we’re all better off for it.

This anonymous reader, like Ilya, will probably settle for a master’s:

All of my comments are in reference to graduate school in STEM disciplines, since I do not have experience in grad school in other fields. As a graduate student considering exiting my program as a 5th year, I can tell you in all honesty that a PhD is not “worth” it—for me, at least . Too many eager students earning a bachelor’s degree in STEM are told that they cannot have a worthwhile career without entering grad school. I saw the PhD as one more hoop to jump before I could land a great job that would provide me with the challenges and stability I wanted in a career. I have learned a massive amount and I don’t regret coming to grad school, but I am increasingly regretting staying . Most of what I will take from the PhD will be things I learned in my first two years. In other words, a master’s degree would have been perfect for me. Unfortunately, master’s degree programs in STEM are not encouraged and sometimes frowned upon. The few master’s degree programs that exist do not usually cover students’ tuition or offer any sort of stipend. At top-tier universities where students can only enter PhD programs, master’s degrees are only handed out as “ consolation prizes.” In other words, a master’s degree is a mere exit option for those not able to “tough it out” through the PhD. From an institutional perspective, this makes some financial sense. Why offer a paid master’s program, where students will be novices in the lab and still refining their techniques, when a PhD student will make up for these formative 2 years by effectively “working” 3+ years after the initial phase of their training? This is certainly the case in my lab. I used to fumble with equipment and make rookie mistakes daily. I now train newer students on instruments, assist with experimental design and analysis, and manage a good deal of the lab. I don’t get credit for it, though; I have the same low stipend that I did as a first year. My experience is the norm. It’s expected that you “pay back” for your training in the form of working more and publishing. In fact, certain fellowships require that you financially pay them back if you decide to pursue work outside of academia. Keep in mind that these fellowships are a trainee’s paycheck. If I was awarded one of these postdoctoral fellowships and decided to quit an unhealthy postdoc in month 11, I would owe back 11 months’ worth of my paycheck . If this isn’t indentured servitude, I don’t know what is. Coupled with emotional distress, not knowing where I might be working in a year, the lack of benefits (will I ever be able to retire if I stick with the PhD?), and an overwhelming desire to do something that I am good at and getting compensated appropriately, I can’t see sticking around any longer. The PhD is not the route to career satisfaction that I envisioned. It is no longer a simple hoop; it’s a long, winding, and seemingly never-ending tunnel.

For further reading, Tim recommends:

This entertaining but serious essay by history professor Timothy Burke was required reading when I was at Swarthmore almost 20 years ago. It begins, “Should I go to grad school? Short answer: no.” The essay holds up today—and the job market worries he touches on have, of course, gotten incomprehensibly worse.

Update from a reader:

Big thanks to your reader who pointed out Timothy Burke’s essay on graduate school in the humanities! It led me to Timothy Burke’s blog , which has some fascinating viewpoints on current events around globalization, Donald Trump, and the like. Speaking of which, I’m intrigued that so many of the responses on the worth of graduate school are about the sciences rather than the humanities. Is this because the story in the humanities is old news by now? Whereas, in science, you get this weird disconnect between “we need more STEM majors” on the one hand, and the same old math about how many more PhDs there are than tenured posts, on the other. Do we really need more STEM majors? Because a lot of us are pretty worried about becoming unemployed, or spending our lives in badly-paid adjunct posts with no job security.

Here’s one more reader, who stands up for the Ph.D. track and brings us back to the theme of government funding that started this discussion thread:

I’m at the end of my 5th year of my PhD and will graduate in the next year. In many ways, I’m lucky. I work in food safety and microbiology. Since everyone wants to know their food is safe, government funding has been cut less, and we can usually persuade industry or trade associations to fund our applied research. However, we’ve been able to do less basic research than we would have hoped, because when funding is tighter, the government funds projects which are more likely to have immediately applicable results (applied research), and industry only funds applied research. So a lot of good basic science doesn’t get funded. Is a PhD worth it? So far, yes. As a graduate student I've had opportunities to teach, write grants and fellowships, mentor undergrads, help manage the lab, and work on international development projects. I’ve also seen mentoring failures, abusive advisers, and nasty department politics. It is a hard road to a PhD (though I think attributing “Navy SEAL-like brutality” to it is going too far), but it does offer a lot of personal growth opportunities and the joy of research along with the frustration of repeated failure and impostor syndrome. I plan to stay in academia because there is no other position I know of which combines teaching and basic research and opportunities for international development projects like academia does. So I’ve mentally given myself a few years to postdoc and try to get a tenure track job. I think I have a decent idea of what I'm getting myself into ... we shall see. Research funding is the thing which worries me the most.

Is Doing a PhD Worth It?
Finding a PhD

Undertaking a PhD shouldn’t be a light decision. In fact, it’s one of the most challenging academic journeys you could embark on. This begs the question: Is a PhD worth it?

A PhD is the highest globally recognised postgraduate degree that higher education institutions can award. The degree, which is awarded to candidates who demonstrate original and extensive research in a particular field of study, is not only invaluable in itself, but can lead to improves job prospects, a higher salary on average, and sets you up for invaluable skills and traits. If you are a graduate student considering undertaking doctoral studies, read our guidance to help you make an informed decision.

Career Prospects

Although a full time PhD takes on average three to five years to complete, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a long-term goal, especially with the possibilities that come with it. It’s a common misunderstanding that PhDs only open the door for educational based roles such as university lecturers and training providers. Although obtaining a PhD does lend itself to an academic career, the opportunities extend far beyond the traditional academic job. In fact, recent data from the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) indicates only 23% of PhD graduates take a position in educational roles. This low percentage is primarily because PhD graduates have a wide range of skills that make them suitable for a broad spectrum of roles. This is being seen first hand by the increasing number of PhD graduates who are entering alternative roles such as research, writing, law and investment banking.

Percentages aside, one of the most desirable post-doctoral fields is working within independent Research and Development (R&D) labs and new emerging companies. Both industries, especially R&D labs, have dedicated groups of PhD graduates who lead research activities, design new products and take part in crucial strategic meetings. Not only is this a stimulating line of work, but the average salaries in R&D labs and emerging start-ups are incredibly lucrative. In comparison, an undergraduate with five years of experience within their given field will, on average, likely earn less than a new PhD graduate taking on an R&D position. Completing an advanced degree programme demonstrates that you have developed a knowledge base in your research area which gives you a head start over other candidates who many only have an undergraduate degree or masters degree.

Pursuing your Interests

One factor to consider when asking ‘is a PhD worth it?’ is what your interests are. A doctoral degree is a fantastic opportunity to spend time learning about something that appeals to you. Having an interest in your research area as a PhD student is a massive advantage as you will always be motivated to push the boundaries of your research. Possessing an advanced degree in a field your are genuinely interested in can also help shape your career path and help you land your dream job.

Transferable Skills

PhD students are widely in demand for their wide range of skills they develop during their studies. Not only do these skills extend beyond that obtained by an undergraduate counterpart, but the transferability of the skills is what makes them stand out amongst employers.

Professional Networking

To successfully undertake a PhD, it’s paramount to have a good working relationship with your PhD supervisor and other students in your laboratory, workshop, or department. This relationship will also extend to undertaking short-term collaborative projects, delivering joint conferences and co-authoring research papers. The modern doctorate needs to demonstrate effective team working, collaboration and networking to be successful in their chosen field. This skill is highly sought by all employers, as open and effective communication is key to any project.

Publication

Although publishing isn’t a requirement of all PhD projects, all students will have the opportunity to produce technical or informative texts, regardless of whether it’s in the form of reports or academic journal articles.

The preparation, research, writing, and editing of such texts demonstrate your ability to amalgamate information and communicate complex ideas. Regardless of an employer’s field, the ability to record and summarise essential information is a fundamental skill they look for. Demonstrating you’re capable of delivering factual documents will help set you apart from colleagues, which will help make strides in your career.

Research Skills

One of the most valued skills you’ll gain during your PhD study is the ability to undertake original research. Not only does this demonstrate you are able to think independently, but also that you are prepared to take on responsibility and can contribute original ideas to the workplace. In undertaking a PhD, you will prove yourself as a professional expert in this area, making you a suitable candidate for research jobs.

Data analysis

A PhD programme, in particular a STEM PhD project, is likely to involve identifying, managing and analysing large amounts of complex information. In addition to this, you could be required to assimilate this information in an appropriate and understandable format. Because of this a data driven doctorate degree is highly desirable in numerical industries such as banking and engineering.

Public Speaking

In today’s industries, excellent oral communication skills are becoming more and more essential. Although many individuals struggle with this skill, as a PhD graduate, you’re more likely to excel in this area. This is because of the many public speaking opportunities you’ll be exposed to during your course. Through conference talks, presentations, and posters, you’ll learn to become confident and engaging when speaking to a broad audience. You’ll also showcase to future employers that you know how to present complex ideas and defend them.

Project management

Even if your career goal isn’t to become a project manager, all jobs require some project management. Fortunately, PhDs are a project management exercise. To complete your thesis, you must design a project, establish a realistic timetable, manage stakeholders and overcome failures. While attempting to achieve the long-term goal set out by the PhD, you must also set, manage, and achieve short-term goals to make progress.

This scenario accurately represents any modern workplace. You’ll be given the autonomy to manage your projects and workload and be expected to do so at a competent level. With this in mind, PhD holders can show they are more than capable of managing a team, and in doing so broaden their career options when entering the job market.

Critical Thinking

Every doctoral student will gain unparalleled skills in exercising critical thinking. This is due to having been trained to address problems, identify connections and analyse information to come to sensible conclusions. A critical thinker is exceptionally beneficial for any industry.

Co-operation

Nearly all careers place a strong emphasis on team working and interpersonal skills. Although producing a PhD thesis is an individual task, to complete your doctoral degree you’ll need to collaborate with others, whether it be to conduct experiments, collect data, operate as part of a larger research group or co-write manuscripts. To complete these tasks, you must know how to divide the task, share with others, communicate effectively, and resolve conflicts. All these skills carry over to any workplace, not just those in an academic position. By demonstrating that you can work as part of a team, you’ll significantly increase your desirability for any role.

Many prospective PhD students see a future in academia. Strong communication skills are essential in this line of work as in addition to giving lectures you may be involved in the supervision of graduate students during their final year projects.

As a graduate student you will have spent the last few years in university and likely have some student debt. A doctorate programme is a further large financial commitment, in particular if you self-fund your studies which can take 3-5 years to complete as a full time PhD student. Even if you secure a funded PhD, the available living stipend will comparatively be less than you would potentially earn if you had gone into employment instead. Part time PhD programmes also worth looking at for PhD candidates, as they allow researchers to work during their PhD course who can then spend their earnings towards their living costs and tuition fees.

In analysing the career prospects and transferable skills gained in undertaking a PhD degree, it is clear that pursuing a PhD is an extremely worthwhile venture.

You will develop deep knowledge in your research area which gives you an advantage when applying to academic jobs (for example a professor or research advisor/PostDoc). During your doctoral years you’ll also gain many skills valued in any career path, from problem solving, to managing tasks and communicating complex ideas. Possessing a PhD correlates to higher median salaries, and can aid career progression as a PhD holder can use their specialist skills to seek out unique opportunities in industry. These skills, combined with the new roles that open up for doctorate holders, such as working within innovative Research and Development teams, presents an exciting and prosperous future.

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3 . 01 . 20
Leaving Academia

Is a PhD Worth It? I Wish I’d Asked These 6 Questions First.

Posted by: Chris

Updated Nov. 19, 2022

Is a PhD worth it?

Should I get a PhD?

A few people admit to regretting their PhD. Most—myself included — said that they don’t ( I wrote about why in this post ).

But we often say we don’t regret stupid things we’ve done or bad things that happen to us. This means we learned from them, not that we wanted them to happen.

So just because PhDs don’t regret it, doesn’t mean it was worth it.

But if you were to ask, Is a PhD worth it, it’s a different and more complicated question.

When potential PhD students ask me for advice, I hate giving it. I can’t possibly say whether it will be worth it for them. I only know from experience that for some PhDs the answer is no.

In this post, I’ll look at this question from five different directions, five different ways that a PhD could be worth it. Then I give my opinion on each one. You can tell me if I got the right ones of if I’m way off base. So here we go.

This is post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Roostervane!

tl;dr It’s up to you to make it worth it. A PhD can hurt your finances, sink you in debt, and leave you with no clear path to success in some fields. But PhDs statistically earn more than their and have lower unemployment rates. A PhD also gives you a world-class mind, a global network, and a skill set that can go just about anywhere.

Should I Get a PhD?

tl;dr Don’t get a PhD by default. Think it through. Be clear about whether it’s going to help you reach career goals, and don’t expect to be a professor. A few rules of thumb- make sure you know where you want to go and whether a PhD is the ONLY way to get there, make sure it’s FUNDED (trust me), and make sure your program has strong ties into industry and a record of helping its students get there.

1. Is a PhD worth it for your finances?

My guess: Not usually

People waste a lot of their best years living on a grad stipend. To be honest, my money situation was pretty good in grad school. I won a large national grant, I got a ton of extra money in travel grants, and my Canadian province gave me grants for students with dependents. But even with a decent income, I was still in financial limbo–not really building wealth of any sort.

And many students scrape by on very small stipends while they study.

When it comes to entering the marketplace, research from Canada and the United States shows that PhD students eventually out-earn their counterparts with Master’s degrees. It takes PhDs a few years to find their stride, but most of us eventually do fine for earnings if we leave academia. Which is great, and perhaps surprising to many PhDs who think that a barista counter is the only non-academic future they have .

The challenge is not income–it’s time. If you as a PhD grad make marginally more than a Master’s graduate, but they entered the workforce a decade earlier, it takes a long time for even an extra $10,000 a year to catch up. The Master’s grad has had the time to build their net worth and network, perhaps buy a house, pay down debt, invest, and just generally get financially healthy.

While PhDs do fine in earnings in the long run, the opportunity cost of getting the PhD is significant.

The only real way to remedy this—if you’ve done a PhD and accumulating wealth is important to you, is to strategically maximize your earnings and your value in the marketplace to close the wealth gap. This takes education, self-discipline, and creativity, but it is possible.

I tried to calculate the opportunity cost of prolonging entry into the workforce in this post .

2. Is a PhD worth it for your career?

My guess: Impossible to tell

Most of my jobs have given me the perfect opportunity to see exactly where I could be if I’d stopped at a Master’s degree, often working alongside or for those who did and are further ahead. In terms of nuts and bolts of building career experience section on a resume, which is often the most important part, a PhD is rarely worth it. (Some STEM careers do require a PhD.)

However, at the start of my post-graduate educational journey, I was working part-time running teen programs and full time as a landscaper. I had an undergraduate degree. Despite my job and a half, I was still poor. My life had no direction, and had I not begun my Master’s to PhD journey I probably would have stayed there.

The PhD transformed me personally. It did this by developing my skills, or course. But even more so, it taught me that anything is possible. It took a poor kid from a mining town in northern Canada and gave me access to the world. It made my dreams of living abroad come true. I learned that anything is possible. And that will never go away.

It’s changed the course of my life and, subsequently, my career.

It’s impossible for you to know if it’s worth it for your career. But you can build a hell of a career with it.

So it wouldn’t be fair for me to say, “don’t get a PhD.” Because it worked out for me, and for some it does.

But there are a heck of a lot of people who haven’t figured out how to build a career with this thing. Which is one of the reasons Roostervane exists in the first place.

Psst! If you’re looking at doing a PhD because you don’t know where to go next with your career–I see you. Been there. Check out my free PDF guide– How to Build a Great Career with Any Degree.

3. Is a PhD worth it for your personal brand?

My guess: Probably

There’s some debate over whether to put a Dr. or PhD before or after your name. People argue over whether it helps in the non-academic marketplace. Some feel that it just doesn’t translate to whatever their new reality is. Some have been told by some manager somewhere that they’re overqualified and pulled themselves back, sometimes wiping the PhD off their resume altogether.

The truth is, if you have a PhD, the world often won’t know what to do with it. And that’s okay. Well-meaning people won’t understand how you fit into the landscape, and you may have to fight tooth and nail for your place in it. People may tell you they can’t use you, or they might go with what they know—which is someone less qualified and less-educated.

It happens.

But someone with a PhD at the end of their name represents an indomitable leader. So grow your possibilities bigger and keep fighting. And make your personal brand match those three little letters after your name. Do this so that the world around can’t help but see you as a leader. More importantly, do it so that you don’t forget you are.

Should I put “PhD” after my name on LinkedIn?

5 reasons you need to brand yourself

4. Is a PhD worth it for your sense of purpose?

Is getting a PhD worth it? For many people the answer is no.

PhDs are hurting.

If you’ve done one, you know. Remember the sense of meaning and purpose that drew you towards a PhD program? Was it still there at the end? If yours was, you’re lucky. I directed my purpose into getting hired in a tenure-track job, and got very hurt when it didn’t happen.

And people have vastly different experiences within programs.

Some people go through crap. But for them their research is everything and putting up with crap is worth it to feel like they have a sense of purpose. Many PhDs who are drawn into programs chasing a sense of purpose leave deeply wounded and disenchanted, ironically having less purpose when they started.

While new PhDs often talk about the PhD as a path do doing “something meaningful,” those of us who have been through entire programs have often seen too much. We’ve either seen or experienced tremendous loss of self. Some have friends who didn’t make it out the other end of the PhD program.

But there are some PhDs who have a great experience in their programs and feel tremendously fulfilled.

As I reflect on it, I don’t think a sense of purpose is inherently fulfilled or disappointed by a PhD program. There are too many variables.

However, if you’re counting on a PhD program to give you a sense of purpose, I’d be very careful. I’d be even more cautious if purpose for you means “tenure-track professor.” Think broadly about what success means to you and keep an open mind .

5. Is my discipline in demand?

Okay, so you need to know that different disciplines have different experiences. Silicon Valley has fallen in love with some PhDs, and we’re seeing “PhD required” or “PhD preferred” on more and more job postings. So if your PhD is in certain, in-demand subjects… It can be a good decision.

My humanities PhD, on the other hand, was a mistake. I’m 5 years out now, and I’ve learned how to use it and make money with it. That’s the great news. But I’d never recommend that anyone get a PhD in the humanities. Sorry. I really wish I could. It’s usually a waste of years of your life, and you’ll need to figure out how to get a totally unrelated job after anyway.

TBH, most of the skills I make money with these days I taught myself on Skillshare .

6. Is a PhD worth it for your potential?

My guess: Absolutely

Every human being has unlimited potential, of course. But here’s the thing that really can make your PhD worth it. The PhD can amplify your potential. It gives you a global reach, it gives you a recognizable brand, and it gives you a mind like no other.

One of my heroes is Brené Brown. She’s taken research and transformed the world with it, speaking to everyone from Wall-Street leaders to blue-collar workers about vulnerability, shame, and purpose. She took her PhD and did amazing things with it.

Your potential at the end of your PhD is greater than it has ever been.

The question is, what will you do with that potential?

Many PhD students are held back, not by their potential, but by the fact that they’ve learned to believe that they’re worthless. Your potential is unlimited, but when you are beaten and exhausted, dragging out of a PhD program with barely any self-worth left, it’s very hard to reach your potential. You first need to repair your confidence.

But if you can do that, if you can nurture your confidence and your greatness every day until you begin to believe in yourself again, you can take your potential and do anything you want with it.

So why get a PhD?

Because it symbolizes your limitless potential. If you think strategically about how to put it to work.

PhD Graduates Don’t Need Resumes. They Need a Freaking Vision

By the way… Did you know I wrote a book about building a career with a PhD? You can read the first chapter for free on Amazon.

So if you’re asking me, “should I do a PhD,” I hope this post helps you. Try your best to check your emotion, and weigh the pros and cons.

And at the end of the day, I don’t think that whether a PhD is worth it or not is some fixed-in-stone thing. In fact, it depends on what you do with it.

So why not make it worth it? Work hard on yourself to transform into a leader worthy of the letters after your name, and don’t be afraid to learn how to leverage every asset the PhD gave you.

One of the reasons I took my PhD and launched my own company is that I saw how much more impact I could have and money I could be making as a consultant (perhaps eventually with a few employees). As long as I worked for someone else, I could see that my income would likely be capped. Working for myself was a good way to maximize my output and take control of my income.

It’s up to you to make it worth it. Pick what’s important to you and how the degree helps you get there, and chase it. Keep an open mind about where life will take you, but always be asking yourself how you can make more of it.

Check out the related post- 15 Good, Bad, and Awful Reasons People Go to Grad School. — I Answer the Question, “Should I Go to Grad School?” )

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Last year, I spent $7k on a business coach. She was fantastic. She helped me through sessions of crafting my ideas to become a “thought

$200/hr Expert? Here’s the Secret!

Photo by David Monje on Unsplash I was listening to Tony Robbins this week. He was talking about being the best. Tony asks the audience,

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Cover photo by Andrea Leopardi on Unsplash Here’s something I realized from the gym. I was never into fitness. Hated it. I remember the one

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Jonathan Black

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

This week’s problem

I work in analytics at a Big Four firm but I am deciding whether to go back to university to do a PhD in economics, which for me would be incredibly interesting and fulfilling. However, once I have completed the four-year programme I have no intention of following a career in academia, so is it worth it? Anonymous, 20s

Jonathan’s answer

People can have different reasons for embarking on four years of postgraduate research, from creating new career opportunities and gaining expertise to satisfying intellectual curiosity, and wanting to add to the body of knowledge. It sounds as though your primary motive is to explore economics in depth and develop new ideas.

Four years of self-directed study, especially in a non-laboratory based, solo subject such as economics, will test your reserves of internal motivation. Aside from the intellectual benefits, you will gain important skills in research, time management and drive. Common advice to people considering further study is that they must truly want to do it for its own sake.

In your case, and encouragingly, you would find it “incredibly interesting and fulfilling”. Academia needs people with this motivation and curiosity, and an enthusiasm to transmit such interest to colleagues, the public and students in teaching and seminars. You might discover interests and develop skills hitherto untapped.

In your twenties, it is brave to rule out possible career paths in four years’ time; at this stage it might be better to keep your options open until you know more. However, you ask if a PhD would be “worth it” if you eventually choose not to continue in academia. How might you define worth?

Measuring worth in a purely financial and employment point of view, PhDs have better outcomes than masters or first-degree graduates. Across the UK, 95 per cent of PhDs 15 months after leaving university in 2020-21, had a “positive outcome” — defined as highly skilled employment or further study — and a median salary of £38,000, according to the annual Graduate Outcomes survey . Encouragingly, 86 per cent of PhDs said their studies fitted their future plans, and 76 per cent reported they were using what they had learnt.

This compares with 85 per cent of masters students and 80 per cent of first-degree graduates who said they had a positive outcome and reported median salaries of £29,500 and £26,000 respectively.

Outside academia, a PhD would open up more career options, for example in non-governmental organisations, think-tanks and analytical consultancies. You may come to love the freedom of academic pursuit, the chance to inspire others and to consult externally. And while financially a PhD is “worth it”, it sounds as though the PhD is attractive to you, in and of itself, and you might come to regret not spending four years pursuing deep research into an area of great personal interest.

Readers’ advice

PhDs take ferocious levels of commitment. On the other hand you learn things about yourself, and your discipline, you can learn no other way. Anthony Staines

I have a humanities PhD and now work in management consulting. I have zero regrets. I pursued research questions I remain passionate about, was able to publish research and contribute to books, win awards, speak at international conferences and spend my twenties travelling the world. GW You absolutely must have stable funding in place before you begin. Do not consider doing it unless you have that. It is essential. investor123

Jonathan Black is director of the Careers Service at the University of Oxford. Every fortnight he answers your questions on personal and career development and working life. Do you have a question for him? Email: [email protected]

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Is a phd worth it, published by steve tippins on may 26, 2020 may 26, 2020.

Last Updated on: 30th August 2022, 04:22 am

Is a PhD worth it? That depends on who’s asking. If you’re talking about the educational benefits, the opportunity to make new discoveries, or the chance to make a difference, then the answer is almost always a resounding “yes.” However, if you’re talking about purely economic benefits, the answer is almost always “no.” A combination of them both? It depends.

In this article, I’ll explore two answers to the question, “Is a PhD worth it?” and the reasons for each. Ultimately, whether a PhD is worth it for you depends on your reasons for getting it. So let’s dive into those.

A PhD is worth it when what you gain–by way of knowledge, experience, credentials, and opportunities–is more valuable to you than what you gave up in order to get it. In terms of time, money, cost to relationships, and stress, a PhD costs an incredible amount. So what makes it worth the cost? Let’s explore that below.

When a PhD Is Worth It

Here are some of the reasons a PhD is worth it for some people.

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Is a PhD worth it if you’re motivated by learning? Absolutely. A PhD program is one of the most intense learning opportunities available anywhere. If you are passionate about a certain subject and want to work at a high level in the field, then a PhD program is the right bet.

As one former PhD candidate said to me, “There’s so much learning that happens. I didn’t finish but I still think it was worth it to do the program because of all the things I learned about my subject area and about research and about myself. All the things I learned about how I related to the topic.”

Critical Thinking

When you go through a PhD program, you become a much better consumer of information–and not just academic information. You begin to question, “where did that come from? What’s the source?” This includes advertisements, news, and anything else you may be reading or listening to.

You also understand what studies are actually saying. You’re better able to understand research and consider its implications and shortcomings.

Respect

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Just having a PhD affords you a level of respect and assumed expertise that is difficult to come by. We used to have calling cards–that was the way people introduced themselves to a new place, which would come along with recommendations from friends. Now a PhD takes the place of that.

Generally, people have positive assumptions about you if you have those letters after your name. You’re controlling what people think about you just by having those three letters after your name.

For example, If you want to publish a book, having a PhD in the field you’re writing about you’re much more likely to be published. And once you’re published, more likely to be promoted, interviewed about your book, etc. Having a PhD can also open you up to grant opportunities, giving you credibility for these types of opportunities.

Social Change

For better of for worse, having this credential is one of the ways that people run the world. It gives you more social capital and economic power. If used for the betterment of the community, this can be a huge opportunity to affect positive social change. It puts you in a position to make changes to some things. In education, it can put you into leadership positions.

african american woman with short hair and a white jacket smiling towards the camera

Besides being recognized as an expert, having a PhD can also give you the confidence to go out and do things that you wouldn’t have done before. As one of society’s experts, you are trusted to be on the cutting edge of your area of expertise. Whether that means starting a business or non-profit, writing a book, giving talks, or something entirely different, you can make great strides. It’s not just because society trusts you, but having a PhD increases your trust of yourself–and your moral responsibility to use the power of your position to benefit others.

Ability to Get Through Anything

A PhD program is one of the most challenging experiences you can put yourself through . By going through the rigorous process of getting a PhD, you gain the confidence and experience necessary to handle challenges in just about every other area as well.

Academic Career

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If you want an academic career today, you’ll pretty much need a PhD. Community colleges used to hire people with master’s degrees. Now when they’re searching, they pretty much ask for a PhD. While a PhD can’t guarantee an academic career, it is a prerequisite.

Non-Academic jobs

If you want more flexibility in the work that you do, a PhD helps. Many PhDs go on to do consulting work in their field.

A lot of organizations need people with PhDs for accreditation purposes. This is true of colleges, of course. But there are also other organizations, like consulting firms. They need a high number of people with PhDs to give the organization credibility.

Intrinsic Reward

A PhD program is a level of rigor that not many people get to. Finishing it produces an intrinsic reward that comes from accomplishing something extremely difficult. There’s a feeling of accomplishment that you don’t get with anything else. It’s not an easy thing to do, and there’s some reward in that.

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When a PhD Is not Worth It

The rewards for a PhD may be great, but it can also cost an incredible amount, in all areas of your life. Let’s consider these costs.

The Cost of Not Finishing

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Fifty percent of the people who start a PhD program don’t finish. Nobody goes into it thinking “i’m not going to finish,” but half of them don’t. It’s incredibly expensive to not finish since you don’t get the payoff that comes with the degree.

“I got a lot of psychic rewards, but I’m still paying lots of money in student loans and will be for the rest of my life–and will be for the rest of my life,” said one former PhD candidate who did not complete her program.

Will you be totally devastated financially or otherwise if you don’t finish? That’s a very real possibility, so it’s important to consider what the consequences would be, even if you fully intend to finish. You have to ask yourself that question, is it worth it if I don’t end up with a degree?

Family Sacrifice

Sacrifice to the family is a big reason why a PhD program may not be worth it. Some people get divorced during the process–not only because it’s so much time away from the family but also because the person getting the doctorate is very intellectually focused, and that can be hard on a relationship .

If you have children, the sacrifice can be double. You will miss baseball games, recitals, vacations, and weekends. You’ll be in your PhD program for several years, and you won’t be able to be as present in your children’s lives for that time period. While many parents do successfully complete PhD programs and manage to be wonderful, loving parents at the same time, it’s an incredibly difficult balancing act.

man with a beard holding his child in his lap while working

Foregone Earnings

When in a PhD program, you don’t get to work full time at your regular job for around 3-6 years. There are PhD programs that allow you to work while you’re doing it, but it’s very difficult. And if you have a family too? That’s incredibly difficult. There are some professions where people make enough yearly income where it’s not financially worth the lost income to get a PhD. That’s why you don’t see many Accounting PhDs.

Proving Yourself

If you’re getting a PhD in order to prove to parents or an ex-boyfriend that you have value, that’s not going to get you through it. It doesn’t carry you through the whole degree. It might give you a lot of energy at the beginning, but it won’t last for three or six years. It won’t provide you with the resilience and fortitude necessary to make it through the toughest times. And anyway, counseling is cheaper.

Other Costs

I know from experience that getting a PhD increases your cheez-it consumption. Alright, that may just have been me. But it is important to consider what the costs will be to you in your particular situation. Give these costs serious consideration.

Is a PhD Worth It? An Economic Perspective

top view of coins and dollar bills on a white table

Will your salary go up enough to justify the cost? The answer is almost universally “no.”

If you’re going to continue working for the same company, you could ask them how much more your pay would be (if they would raise it) if you had a PhD. You could amortize that over how many years you plan to work.

However, generally speaking, the economic gains do not justify the economic costs .

If you can combine the economic and psychic reasons, it can be worth it for some people. But if you’re just doing the numbers in terms of how much you’ll make and how much you’ll pay, it’s probably not worth it.

Getting a PhD will likely boost your income and it does give you more options, but that may not justify the costs, economically speaking. Unless there are other bolstering reasons, I’d say it’s not worth it.

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

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Ph.D. in AI: Is It Worth It?

Evan Thompson

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Updated September 6, 2023 · 2 Min Read

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Are you ready to discover your college program?

Interest in artificial intelligence has exploded. Industries from human resources to healthcare are going all in on AI. The goal: Look for ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

People like engineers, data scientists, and developers will be in line to benefit. Why? They're more likely to have advanced credentials employers seek, such as a Ph.D. in AI.

What is a Ph.D. in AI?

A doctoral program focusing on artificial intelligence research. Students complete courses and research into areas that often include computer science , philosophy, engineering , linguistics, psychology, and other disciplines. These programs prepare them for careers in industry, government, and academia.

Is a Ph.D. in AI worth it?

Many Ph.D.s don't do it for the money. A Ph.D. makes it possible for you to make an impact in your field. But suppose job stability, high earning potential, and job variety are also important to you. In that case, a doctorate in AI may be worth the investment:

The World Economic Forum predicts AI could create 97 million jobs by 2025 , increasing job availability and driving up demand for skilled workers.
AI-related roles for Ph.D.s pay an average salary of $115,000 and up to $279,000, according to limited 2022 Payscale data .
There's a huge variety of industries to work in. This includes tech and non-tech fields, such as data science , software engineering , retail, education, and finance.

However, some experts believe job competition may increase as AI and machine learning become more popular. The number of jobs might even shrink if machine learning doesn't progress as fast as expected, according to 80,000 Hours , a London-based nonprofit that provides advice for careers with a positive social impact.

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Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

What can you do with a Ph.D. in AI?

The advanced skill set that comes with a doctorate in AI prepares you for careers in academia, research, and various industries. Some examples of job roles in AI include:

AI Researcher: Develops new algorithms and models to improve the performance and capabilities of AI systems.
AI Engineer: Designs and implements AI systems and applications, including computer vision, machine learning models, and natural language processing.
Data Scientist: Uses statistical and computational methods to analyze and interpret complex data sets that can train and optimize AI models.
Machine Learning Engineer: Develops and deploys machine learning models and optimizes them for performance and scalability.
AI Ethics Specialist: Ensures AI systems meet ethical standards while identifying and mitigating potential biases and risks.

Which universities offer Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence?

At least 33 U.S. colleges and universities have doctorates in AI or AI-related subjects, according to an IDP Education database .

These include Carnegie Mellon University, which created the world's first machine learning department, and Purdue University's oldest existing computer science department.

Georgia Tech University's machine learning Ph.D. program admits 25-30 students annually. The multidisciplinary program involves mathematical foundations, data models, statistics, applied probability and other areas.
Oregon State University's Ph.D. in artificial intelligence takes an electrical engineering and computer science approach. One doctoral student's research involved developing reasoning for autonomous systems that account for social and ethical obligations.
Capitol Technology University's artificial intelligence Ph.D. program explores the principles of autonomous systems and how computers' decision-making processes mirror the human brain. The program is available online and in person.

Is a Ph.D. in AI difficult?

Any doctorate is tough. People with strong backgrounds in computer science, mathematics, and statistics will have an easier time. But don't expect it to be easy.

How many years does it take to get a Ph.D. in AI?

A Ph.D. in AI program can take between 4-7 years. The first two years are often lectures, and the rest is research.

Most of the time is spent programming, calculating, and reading papers.
Program requirements vary. For example, some require 40 hours of graduate coursework , six hours of dissertation credit, a comprehensive exam, and a dissertation.
A dissertation is a deep analysis of a particular topic or a series of papers on relevant topics, which you write and defend.

The bottom line

The demand for skilled AI workers isn't slowing down. The skill set that comes with a Ph.D. in AI is valuable for various employers. Projections show opportunities for AI-related roles will increase in the coming years as industries increasingly adopt the tech.

But, there is a risk that job competitiveness will increase as the field becomes more popular. As you decide, weighing the pros and cons of entering the career path and how well you can persist within it will be key.

Lawrence Chillrud and Essien Taylor Awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

The five-year fellowship is awarded to outstanding students pursuing a graduate degree in stem.

Northwestern Engineering electrical and computer engineering PhD students Lawrence Chillrud and Essien Taylor have been awarded US National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowships in recognition of their demonstrated potential for significant research achievements.

The highly selective Graduate Research Fellowship program awards a five-year fellowship to outstanding individuals pursuing a full-time, research-based graduate degree in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The students will receive three years of financial support, including an annual stipend.

Lawrence Chillrud

Chillrud is developing machine learning methods for applications in biomedical imaging. He aims to create robust uncertainty quantification techniques for medical imaging models and to design reliable algorithms that can assist doctors and patients in making informed decisions.

“Knowing when to trust these complex predictive models in high-stakes clinical settings is of critical importance,” Chillrud said. “If a model could reliably estimate its case-by-case uncertainty, clinicians could have a better understanding of how to integrate model predictions in data-driven decision-making, and patients could be better informed and in control of their disease and treatment plan.”

Chillrud is working on two research projects. In his radiological work, he is developing models that seek to predict the presence or absence of important brain tumor biomarkers in a patient’s MRI scan. In pathology, Chillrud is investigating computational techniques to help renal pathologists identify patients most at risk of kidney transplant failure.

Chillrud earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Columbia University in 2020. Prior to joining Northwestern, Chillrud was a senior programmer in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. His research into the development of interpretable machine learning methods for assessing complex mixtures of environmental exposures in epidemiological studies with mentor Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou ignited Chillrud’s passion for research and inspired him to pursue a PhD.

“I feel tremendously lucky to have been awarded the fellowship and believe that it speaks more to the exceptional support and mentorship I have received over the years from advisers, colleagues, teachers, friends, and family, than it does say anything about me personally,” Chillrud said. “I am also hugely grateful to the NSF for their support during this early and exciting stage of my career.

Katsaggelos is the Joseph Cummings Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and (by courtesy) professor of computer Science at Northwestern Engineering and professor of radiology at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine . Cooper is the director of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine’s Center for Computational Imaging and Signal Analytics in Medicine and associate professor of pathology and preventive medicine at Feinberg and (by courtesy) associate professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Essien Taylor

Taylor investigates computer architecture and aims to reduce energy consumption in power-constrained embedded systems, including electronic medical implants and mobile phones.

“Understanding the energy consumption of microprocessors requires detailed models that take a large amount of time and labor to create,” Taylor said. “My current work will generate these complex models in a fraction of the time and effort, allowing us to rapidly explore countless research avenues.”

In 2023, the financial support of his GEM Fellowship afforded Taylor the opportunity to intern with Cadence Design Systems Inc., which aided his approach to electronics design.

Taylor is also a member of the Karsh STEM Scholars Program at Howard University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering. The program provides full scholarships for undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines and support for underrepresented minorities completing graduate programs in STEM.

“My experience as a Karsh STEM Scholar at Howard University was crucial in developing my passion for research,” Taylor said.

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RIT graduate pursues Ph.D. across time zones

Nastaran Nagshineh is shown with other faculty in a small room where she defended her thesis.

Nastaran Nagshineh, center, defended her Ph.D. thesis at RIT in April. Faculty from RIT’s Rochester and Dubai campuses served on her thesis committee and include, from left to right, Kathleen Lamkin-Kennard, Steven Weinstein, Nathaniel Barlow, and David Kofke (a professor at the University at Buffalo). Mohamed Samaha participated remotely and appears on the video screen behind the group and alongside Nagshineh’s picture.

Nastaran Nagshineh is one of the first Ph.D. candidates to bridge RIT’s Rochester and Dubai campuses. Her accomplishment creates a path for future students at the university’s international campuses.

Nagshineh completed her Ph.D. in mathematical modeling while working full time as a mathematics lecturer at RIT Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, teaching as many as five classes a semester. She described her Ph.D. journey as “an exercise in perseverance” due to competing demands and long days. Rochester is eight hours behind Dubai, and the time difference meant many late-night classes and meetings.

“I saw this collaboration as an opportunity, rather than as a challenge, because my primary adviser, Dr. Steven Weinstein (RIT professor of chemical engineering), and my co-adviser, Dr. Mohamed Samaha (RIT Dubai associate professor of mechanical engineering), both have the same area of research interest,” she said. “They both worked toward my success.”

Nagshineh is one of 67 RIT Ph.D. students who defended their thesis this academic year and who will earn their doctorate. RIT awarded 63 Ph.D. degrees in 2023.

In 2020-2021, RIT’s Graduate School met and surpassed the university’s goal of conferring 50 Ph.D. degrees during an academic year. That number will continue to grow as students cycle through the seven new Ph.D. programs that RIT has added since 2017, said Diane Slusarski , dean of RIT’s Graduate School.

Meeting these goals puts RIT on a path toward achieving an “R1,” or research-intensive designation, from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning. RIT is currently ranked as an R2 institution . Many factors go into changing a university’s status, including research investment and maintaining a three-year average of 70 Ph.D. degrees awarded per year, according to Slusarski.

“We have met the goals of the strategic plan, and now we look forward to contributing to the research innovation in the future,” Slusarski said. “We want to help the new programs thrive and win national research awards.”

RIT’s emphasis on high-level research is seen in Nagshineh’s Ph.D. work. She applies mathematical modeling to the field of fluid dynamics. Her research has been published in top-tier journals and has gained notice, said Weinstein, her thesis adviser.

Weinstein describes Nagshineh’s accomplishments as “a testament to a fantastic work ethic and commitment” and is inspirational to younger students at Rochester and Dubai.

“The collaboration between RIT Dubai/Rochester has continued,” he said. “Another paper was submitted a few weeks ago with Mohamed Samaha and Nate Barlow (RIT associate professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics) as co-authors, as well as Cade Reinberger, a younger Ph.D. student in my research group.”

Mathematical modeling is one of RIT’s newer Ph.D. degree programs, and Nagshineh is among its earliest graduates. The program has doubled in size since it began accepting students in 2017, Slusarski said. This past fall, the mathematical modeling program had 35 students, with two graduating this year.

Altogether, RIT has 13 Ph.D. degree programs currently enrolling 438 students, with computing and information sciences accounting for the largest with 117 students. RIT’s other Ph.D. programs include astrophysical sciences and technology , biomedical and chemical engineering , business administration , color science , electrical and computer engineering, imaging science , mechanical and industrial engineering , microsystems engineering , and sustainability .

New programs in cognitive science and physics will launch in the fall.

The growth in RIT graduate education—with more than 3,000 master’s and doctoral students—reflects a demographic change in the student population, Slusarski said. “We have a higher percentage of women in the graduate programs than we have for RIT undergraduate programs.”

RIT’s graduate programs enroll 42 percent women, according to Christie Leone , assistant dean for the Graduate School.

Nagshineh, who also holds an MS in electrical engineering from RIT Dubai, welcomes her role as a mentor to other women students on both campuses.

“As a young woman in an Arabic country, the power of women is often underestimated and undervalued, and I hope to serve as a role model to female students, especially those that question their path,” Nagshineh said.

She plans to continue in her career as a professor and a researcher. “I would like to pursue a research program where I can advise my own students and teach them more deeply.”

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The comics collection at RIT is growing by leaps and bounds and the new Kubert Lounge and Gallery makes it a visible presence on campus. The interdisciplinary art form is right at home at RIT.

School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems

Ania-Ariadna Baetica, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics at Drexel University. She received her BA degree from Princeton University in 2012 and her PhD from California Institute of Technology in 2018. Following her degrees, she was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California San Francisco. Dr. Baetica's group leverages control theory along with systems biology, synthetic biology, and computational science to solve biotechnological and medical challenges. Her group designs robust and modular synthetic biological circuits by incorporating layered feedback mechanisms.

PhD, Control and Dynamical Systems, California Institute of Technology, 2018
BA, Mathematics, Princeton University, 2012

Research Interests

Synthetic Biology, Systems Biology, Bioengineering, Control Theory

Publications

Select Publications:

Baetica AA, Leong YP, Murray RM. Guidelines for designing the antithetic feedback motif. Phys Biol. 2020 Aug 10;17(5):055002. PubMed PMID: 32217822.
Olsman N, Baetica AA, Xiao F, Leong YP, Murray RM, Doyle JC. Hard Limits and Performance Tradeoffs in a Class of Antithetic Integral Feedback Networks. Cell Syst. 2019 Jul 24;9(1):49-63.e16. PubMed PMID: 31279505.
Baetica A, Westbrook A, El-Samad H. Control theoretical concepts for synthetic and systems biology . Current Opinion in Systems Biology. 2019 April; 14:50-57. DOI:10.1016/j.coisb.2019.02.010.
Vo HD, Fox Z, Baetica A, Munsky B. Bayesian Estimation for Stochastic Gene Expression Using Multifidelity Models. J Phys Chem B. 2019 Mar 14;123(10):2217-2234. PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6697484.
Meng XF, Baetica AA, Singhal V, Murray RM. Recursively constructing analytic expressions for equilibrium distributions of stochastic biochemical reaction networks. J R Soc Interface.2017 May;14(130) PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5454304.
Ren X, Baetica A, Swaminathan A, Murray R. Population regulation in microbial consortia using dual feedback control . 2017 IEEE 56th Annual Conference on Decision and Control (CDC). 2017 IEEE 56th Annual Conference on Decision and Control (CDC); ; Melbourne, Australia. IEEE; c2017. DOI:10.1109/CDC.2017.8264450.
Baetica A, Yuan Y, Goncalves J, Murray R. A stochastic framework for the design of transient and steady state behavior of biochemical reaction networks . 2015 54th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC). 2015 54th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC); Osaka. IEEE; c2015. DOI:10.1109/CDC.2015.7402699.
Schwab DJ, Baetica A, Mehta P. Dynamical quorum-sensing in oscillators coupled through an external medium. Physica D. 2012 Nov 1;241(21):1782-1788. PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3475529.

PhD with Child_2

Adam Smith May 8, 2024

Published on May 8th, 2024

Last updated on May 8th, 2024

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Aerospace Engineering Doctoral Student Awarded School of Engineering Graduate Student Teaching Assistant Award

By Keelin Kelly '24

Ph.D student Jacky Cai is from Shanghai, China, but has been at the University of Dayton since his senior year of undergraduate through an exchange program with Shanghai Normal University. He started at UD in 2016 as a mechanical engineering student but decided to switch to aerospace engineering for his master's degree study. Upon completing his graduate study, he continued to pursue a doctorate degree and continued working with his advisor, Dr. Gunasekaran, in the University of Dayton Low Speed Wind Tunnel lab.

“Dr. Gunasekaran has been a great advisor. He is the reason I stayed at UD for my Ph.D,” Cai said. “We have a great facility here and great students in the lab. The idea of community at UD reflects in our lab, and I enjoy working here.”

Cai became a teaching assistant in 2018 and started instructing classes in 2020. In his eight years at UD he has been a teaching assistant for MEE 225, MEE 401, MEE 409, MEE 440, AEE 553 and AEE 590 and an instructor for ENG 103 and MEE 431L-432L. He enjoys teaching project-based classes and helping his students bring their ideas to life.

“Sometimes you know a student’s idea is too ‘creative’ and difficult to complete, however, you still want to try your best to help them achieve what they want to do anyway,” Cai said. “That’s the fun part of teaching because you really don’t know what problem you are going to solve before you walk in class everyday.”

In addition to conducting his own research on propeller aerodynamics with Dr. Gunasekaran in the UD Low-Speed Wind Tunnel, Cai has helped and mentored more than 10 undergraduate students in aerospace research. Almost all of them have been able to publish papers under his mentorship.

“The students’ successes in the lab are my biggest achievement, especially because I am trying to move myself forward as an educator, not just a researcher,” Cai said. “I still do research, but what makes me more proud is working with students to achieve their goals.”

Cai was awarded the School of Engineering Graduate Teaching Assistant Award at the Graduate Student Showcase and Awards in April. He accepted a post graduate position as an assistant professor at Wichita State University and will move to Kansas in June.

“There have always been good friends around me, giving me ideas and providing me with help even if it is outside of their research work,” Cai said. “It’s a good community, and I am going to miss all of the friends I have made here at UD.”

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Sophomore Engineering Students Awarded Full Scholarships for Junior and Senior Year through the Women Engineering Program and Clare Boothe Luce Program

Celebrating the IOE graduate class of 2024

This spring 58 students graduated from the U-M IOE PhD and master’s program. Many of whom were honored with awards.

Jessalyn Tamez

On Thursday, May 2, 2024, the Univerisity of Michigan Industrial and Operations Engineering (U-M IOE) Department celebrated the accomplishments of their graduating graduate students at the Union. This spring 58 students graduated from the U-M IOE PhD and master’s program. Many of whom were honored with awards.

“In my first year as the Department Chair I’m already so proud to be a part of this community because of how you give back to the community around you,” said Julie Simmons Ivy, IOE Department Chair.

U-M IOE students, Santiago Currea and Alren Dean won the Joel and Lorraine Brown Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Award for the 2023-24 academic year. The Outstanding GSI Award recognizes the efforts and accomplishments of GSIs who demonstrate extraordinary dedication and excellence as teachers. (Pictured: Santiago Currea)

Two people shake hands while one holds an award plaque

The Robert G. Sargent Distinguished Student Award went to U-M IOE Master’s Student Nick Tran. The award is given to a student who embodies qualities that distinguish the highest-performing U-M IOE master’s degree-level students, such as; outstanding academic performance, service to the Department, the College of Engineering, the University of Michigan, and/or the field of Industrial and Operations Engineering, or other forms of meritorious leadership or accomplishment. (Pictured: Nick Tran and Larry Seiford)

Three people smile for a photo while two hold award plaques

The Robert G. Sargent Distinguished Project Award went to U-M IOE master’s students Alexios Avrassoglou, Santiago Currea and Austin Tauber. (Pictured: Alexios Avrassoglou, Xiuli Chao, and Santiago Currea)

A man holding a certificate hands it to another man

Additionally, U-M IOE PhD Student, Haoming Shen won the Murty prize for the best student paper on optimization based on the original work of the author. The title of Shen’s paper was “Convex Chance-Constrained Programs with Wasserstein Ambiguity.” (Pictured: Ruiwei Jiang, Shi’s advisor and Katta Murty)

U-M IOE master’s student, Rachel Divinagracia won the Muckstadt Award. The is awarded to an outstanding domestic master’s student. (Pictured: Julie Simmons Ivy and Rachel Divinagracia)

The Wilson Prize was won by U-M IOE PhD Student Naichen Shi for the paper “Triple Component Matrix Factorization: Untangling Global, Local, and Noisy Components”. The Wilson Prize is presented each year to an outstanding student paper dealing with any application of Industrial Engineering.

LSU Mechanical Engineering Instructor Creates ASPIRE Course for Educators

Two-week class will entail drone training.

May 7, 2024

BATON ROUGE, LA – Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…a drone. Drones are literally taking off and LSU Mechanical Engineering Senior Instructor Andrew Becnel wants students to keep up. Becnel, who is a graduate of LSU’s Mechanical Engineering program and has a master’s degree and Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland, understands the importance of drone technology, especially in Louisiana.

This is why he has created the Louisiana ASPIRE—Aerial Systems Pilot Instruction & Resource Endeavor—program, a two-year effort to train high school educators on drone technology so they can teach it to their students through a course or student organization. This is the first Federal Aviation Administration grant LSU has ever received.

Becnel, who flies drones for fun and founded his own aerial imagery LLC, wrote his ASPIRE proposal after participating in Walker High School’s drone pilot training program two years ago. He realized there was an opportunity to expand upon this kind of program by training high schoolers in flying drones and, possibly, interesting them in aerospace engineering.

“LSU currently has a minor in aerospace engineering, and I plan to offer a course on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations and design,” Becnel said. “ASPIRE is an opportunity to establish LSU as a center of excellence for drone education in the state. Since we’re a flagship university, it makes sense to me that we would be a resource to help educators around the state disseminate this information.”

Using a well-structured, train-the-trainer model developed by Advanced Aerial Education (AAE) in Alaska, ASPIRE will assemble a cohort of 20 high school educators from across Louisiana for an intensive two-week professional development program delivered at Walker High School, July 15-26. The lead instructor from AAE will attend and instruct the class, with participants flying inexpensive drones that are easy to crash.

“We want them to get comfortable crashing multiple times,” Becnel said. “In an hour or two, we’ll talk theory and discuss the lesson, then fly drones for 30 minutes and practice what we were just talking about. The program will be very hands-on and engaging.”

ASPIRE will not only enable the educators to attain FAA Part 107 certification as UAS pilots, it will also provide them with curriculum materials and logistical support to successfully integrate UAS training into their home schools’ curricula or extracurricular activities and better prepare their students for careers in the aviation industry or finding a job flying commercial drones.

“We’re trying to recruit a broad population of teachers,” Becnel said. “Students at schools around Baton Rouge who don’t have extracurricular activities shouldn’t be left out. Having this kind of vocational training early means they could have a job ready for them when they turn 16, which is the age you can attain your UAS pilot’s certificate. There’s a clear need in industry for more pilots.”

Becnel said Amazon is one such company students could eventually work for since it’s exploring delivering packages using drones. Oil and gas companies could also use drone pilots to complete inspections in less time and for lower cost than traditional methods.

“It’s easy for me to imagine a lot of compelling reasons for Louisiana students to care about learning to fly a drone,” Becnel said. “Drone pilots can be used in industrial plants, in agriculture, and in coastal studies.”

LSU Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences Adjunct Professor Marcelo Cohen is serving as the co-PI on the project and will use his expertise in flying drones to explain to the cohorts how drones can impact the state. Cohen teaches a class at LSU called Remote Sensing of Coastal Landforms and Vegetation Using Drones and has worked on the Holocene and Anthropocene history of mangrove dynamics on the Brazilian coast and in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean regions.

“Drones can revolutionize many fields, such as geography, oceanography, geology, agronomy, biology, engineering, and architecture,” Cohen said. “I just used drones to show how hurricanes impact mangroves and coastal morphology. A drone camera can record the near-infrared to assess whether vegetation was impacted by, for example, winter freezes, hurricanes, or pests. With a spatial resolution of 2 cm, drone images allow us to accurately identify mangrove expansion along subtropical coasts due to global warming. Nowadays, drones with Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) corrections are also essential for developing high-accuracy digital elevation models to identify and quantify coastal erosion and determine areas most vulnerable to flooding due to sea-level rise and hurricanes. Therefore, students and society as a whole could benefit from people having access to drones.”

Cohen will join Becnel at the ASPIRE program training, which will ultimately impact hundreds of students and pave a path for them in aerospace or another field.

“ASPIRE will impact 400 students each year, with about 1,000 pilots trained at the end of the two-year program,” Becnel said. “It’s really incredible, and we are grateful to the FAA for their support in this endeavor.”

To learn more, visit lsu.edu/aspire .

Like us on Facebook (@lsuengineering) or follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram (@lsuengineering).

Contact: Libby Haydel Communications Manager 225-578-4840 [email protected]

IMAGES

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COMMENTS

Should Engineers Get a PHD? 11 Truths!
Electrical Engineering. $23,070. 2020 - 2021. MIT. Electrical Engineering. $43,150. 2019 - 2020. As you can tell, diving into a PhD in engineering might not make you rich overnight. But, hey, it does give you the chance to work on some mind-blowing research and help shape the world of tomorrow.
FAQ: Should I Get a PhD in Engineering?
A Ph.D. in engineering is a research degree that provides candidates with highly specialized knowledge of a specific engineering subfield. Candidates learn about quantitative research methods and complete advanced coursework. They also conduct independent research to prepare a written dissertation and an oral presentation.
Should You Get Your PhD in Engineering?
Equally importantly, a PhD will give you a level of job security that a lesser degree won't give you. "I have yet to find a jobless, homeless PhD in engineering. That's my simple answer," grins Thole. Not only that, but it opens up new opportunities. "The PhD really allows you to tailor your own career a bit more.
Choose Between a Master's, Ph.D. in Engineering
Engineering Ph.D.s provide even more specialization than master's degrees, and a higher earning potential, but they also come with significant risks, experts say. Research jobs within government ...
Master's vs. PhD in Engineering: What's the Difference?
Specialization. Earning a master's degree in engineering typically allows you to get involved in many different types of engineering projects and roles after graduation. Conversely, Ph.D. programs are often much more specialized. The work you do while in a Ph.D. program usually prepares you for a specific role or niche within engineering.
Is a PhD Worth It? The Pros and Cons of Getting a Doctorate
One of the key benefits of a PhD is that it opens doors to careers at the highest levels. This can include leadership positions in science and engineering, government roles in economics and political science, and prestigious teaching posts for English and arts majors. Even if an advanced degree isn't required for the job you want, that PhD can ...
DEng vs. PhD
At Johns Hopkins University, both the Doctor of Engineering and the Doctor of Philosophy involve mentored research and in-depth investigation. There are a few key differences, though (although these are not hard and fast rules). DEng. PhD. Guiding Philosophy. Engineering practice and application. Engineering theory and scholarship.
How to Know If You Should Get a PhD in Engineering?
A PhD degree in engineering is a must! It opens many opportunities for you and your career. For instance, a PhD gives you the ability to start-up research programs, gain experience with new technologies, and become an expert in your field of study. A faculty position is also easily attainable with a PhD. Engineering positions are always highly ...
Why a PhD is Worth it!
Completing a PhD is all about creating fresh knowledge, discovering new things and developing new skills. It is a degree meant for those who seek greater depth of knowledge in a specific area. With a PhD, 'one can make a difference', says Professor Paul KH Tam, Pro Vice Chancellor and Vice President (Research), University of Hong Kong.
What Can You Do With a PhD in Engineering?
Graduates of PhD in Engineering programs can work as professors at research universities, dedicate their expertise to industrial or government research labs, or create a business around their own innovation. Consider building your career as the developer of a green energy trend, discovering a life-saving biomedical process, or taking the world ...
What is it like doing a PhD in Engineering? Is it worth it and why?
If you get an MS in engineering any job worth a damn will count it as years of experience. If you get a terminal degree the same is true. If you become an expert in a field, you will be employable. ... If your intersts are purely financial there's actually a negative earning potential for most engineering PhD's vs having a masters with ...
Engineering PhDs, do you regret it? : r/GradSchool
I got my PhD in Mechanical Engineering. I don't agree that it is a waste of time. Getting a PhD in engineering really depends on the job you are applying for. Your post implies your husband has a PE in EE. For the work I do (I also have a BS in EE) a PE would not be useful in my job. I know a lot of EEs and none of them have PEs and are doing ...
Is a PhD Worth it?
PhD fees aren't actually that high. They're a lot lower than undergraduate fees and usually less than those for Masters degrees. But the full cost of a PhD needs to take into account more than just tuition fees. You'll need to support yourself for at least three more years of study.
Advice on whether a PhD in Engineering is worth it
In my case it wouldn't have been worth it, and I suspect that's often true. BS starting salary = $64,500. MS+PhD duration = 5-7yrs. BS cumulative salary with 2% COL and one promotion = roughly $340k-490k. PhD starting salary = roughly $90k-120k.
Is a Ph.D. Worth It Anymore? Cont'd
Here's Mary: I spent (too many) years in a prestigious PhD program. During my post-doc, I saw newly-hired Assistant Professors work 60-hour weeks to generate preliminary data in order to secure ...
Is Doing a PhD Worth It?
A PhD is the highest globally recognised postgraduate degree that higher education institutions can award. The degree, which is awarded to candidates who demonstrate original and extensive research in a particular field of study, is not only invaluable in itself, but can lead to improves job prospects, a higher salary on average, and sets you ...
Is a PhD Worth It? I Wish I'd Asked These 6 Questions First
In terms of nuts and bolts of building career experience section on a resume, which is often the most important part, a PhD is rarely worth it. (Some STEM careers do require a PhD.) However, at the start of my post-graduate educational journey, I was working part-time running teen programs and full time as a landscaper.
Is it worth doing a PhD when an academic career is not the goal?
Measuring worth in a purely financial and employment point of view, PhDs have better outcomes than masters or first-degree graduates. Across the UK, 95 per cent of PhDs 15 months after leaving ...
Is a PhD Worth It?
Is a PhD worth it? That depends on who's asking. If you're talking about the educational benefits, the opportunity to make new discoveries, or the chance to make a difference, then the answer is almost always a resounding "yes.". However, if you're talking about purely economic benefits, the answer is almost always "no.".
Exploring frontiers of mechanical engineering
The graduate students highlighted here represent a snapshot of the great work in progress this spring across the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and demonstrate the ways the future of this field is as limitless as the imaginations of its practitioners. Democratizing design through AI. Lyle Regenwetter Hometown: Champaign, Illinois
Ph.D. in AI: Is It Worth It?
AI-related roles for Ph.D.s pay an average salary of $115,000 and up to $279,000, according to limited 2022 Payscale data. There's a huge variety of industries to work in. This includes tech and non-tech fields, such as data science, software engineering, retail, education, and finance. However, some experts believe job competition may increase ...
Lawrence Chillrud and Essien Taylor Awarded NSF Graduate Research
The highly selective Graduate Research Fellowship program awards a five-year fellowship to outstanding individuals pursuing a full-time, research-based graduate degree in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The students will receive three years of financial support, including an annual stipend. Lawrence Chillrud
RIT graduate pursues Ph.D. across time zones
RIT awarded 63 Ph.D. degrees in 2023. In 2020-2021, RIT's Graduate School met and surpassed the university's goal of conferring 50 Ph.D. degrees during an academic year. That number will continue to grow as students cycle through the seven new Ph.D. programs that RIT has added since 2017, said Diane Slusarski, dean of RIT's Graduate School.
Is a Phd in Engineering worth it? : r/EngineeringStudents
A PhD is not worth it otherwise. A masters degree is worth it, but don't pay for it yourself. A lot of companies will fund your masters degree while you are working for them. PE > PhD. If your career aspirations are to work a traditional engineering job, then a PhD isn't necessary for that at all.
Ania-Ariadna Baetica, PhD
Bio. Ania-Ariadna Baetica, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics at Drexel University. She received her BA degree from Princeton University in 2012 and her PhD from California Institute of Technology in 2018. Following her degrees, she was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California ...
PhD with Child_2
Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science. Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.
Aerospace Engineering Doctoral Student Awarded School of Engineering
He started at UD in 2016 as a mechanical engineering student but decided to switch to aerospace engineering for his master's degree study. Upon completing his graduate study, he continued to pursue a doctorate degree and continued working with his advisor, Dr. Gunasekaran, in the University of Dayton Low Speed Wind Tunnel lab.
Celebrating the IOE graduate class of 2024
Jessalyn Tamez. On Thursday, May 2, 2024, the Univerisity of Michigan Industrial and Operations Engineering (U-M IOE) Department celebrated the accomplishments of their graduating graduate students at the Union. This spring 58 students graduated from the U-M IOE PhD and master's program. Many of whom were honored with awards.
To PhD or not to PhD : r/engineering
The general consensus online (even here in r/engineering) was: the only reason why you should do a PhD is because you want to. You like research, you like the academic environment, and in the future you want to either become a professor or you want to to lead a research project at the frontiers of your engineering field.
LSU Mechanical Engineering Instructor Creates ASPIRE Course for Educators
May 7, 2024 BATON ROUGE, LA - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's…a drone. Drones are literally taking off and LSU Mechanical Engineering Senior Instructor Andrew Becnel wants students to keep up. Becnel, who is a graduate of LSU's Mechanical Engineering program and has a master's degree and Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland ...

Should Engineers Get a PHD? 11 Truths!

What really interests you in engineering?

In academia

In industry

How much money do you want to make?

PhD stipends from major U.S. universities

What type of lifestyle do you want?

Do you have other options in life?

11 Pointers to consider in pursuing a PhD in engineering

#1 Choose a research topic with real-world oomph

#2 A PhD hones your thinking skills, not just your specialization

#3 Don’t expect a PhD to put you on a pedestal

#4 A PhD can open doors, but it might close some too

#5 Dive into a PhD in a subject that ignites your passion

#6 Don’t chase a PhD for the wrong reasons

#7 Fear not the PhD pursuit

#8 A PhD isn’t for everyone

#9 Pick your program and advisor like a pro

#10 Weigh the impact on your loved ones

#11 Industry jobs for PhD grads

“Should engineers get a PhD” wrap up

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6 thoughts on “Should Engineers Get a PHD? 11 Truths!”

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Should You Get Your PhD in Engineering?

Do You Enjoy Research?

An Engineering PhD Opens Doors…

… Unless It Closes Them

What About Non-STEM PhDs?

Should You Get Your PhD?

Choose Between a Master's, Ph.D. in Engineering

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