Education · 1 of 5

The path

An accredited four year degree is the gate. The license afterwards is optional for most jobs.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 11 and 12

   Calculus, physics and chemistry. Strong math grades are what get you admitted to an engineering program.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

   4 years

   Four years, accredited by ABET (the body that accredits engineering degrees in the United States). Statics, dynamics, thermodynamics, fluids, materials and machine design are the spine of it.

3. 3

   Internship or co-op

   Summers, or alternating semesters

   Paid placements at a manufacturer or a plant. Purdue runs the largest mechanical engineering program in the country and a formal cooperative education program alongside it.

4. 4

   First engineering job

   Year 1

   You work under experienced engineers on one part of a bigger system. Expect two years before you own a design outright.

5. 5

   Optional Professional Engineer license

   4 or more years

   The Fundamentals of Engineering exam, four years of verified experience, then the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam.