Rodney Said:

How does Structural Engineering and Architecture differ?

We Answered:

I would love to build on these answers already given from the perspective of a Structural Engineer.

The differences are large in education and within practice. Although vastly different in education and practice these professions often work hand in hand to create a working finished product.

Within any given university there are different colleges. For example, the University of Colorado has a college of Architecture and a college of Engineering. The college of engineering has major branches within it that include Electrical, Chemical, Civil, Aerospace, and Mechanical (to be simple). Within the Civil / Architectural Engineering department you can focus on being a structural engineer with a focus on Civil (roads, bridges, dams) or Architectural (small and large buildings) Engineering.

Engineers will have most of their education focused on the math and science behind design. Their courses will help them determine how to design a structure to withstand the effects of wind, earthquake, gravity, time, weather... but they will mainly focus on the fundamentals and principals of the basic math and science. The real training begins once you have graduated and begun your career in engineering.

By contrast, my understanding is that Architectural students will have some math and science background, but that most of their design training focuses around good design... form and aesthetics. Once in practice they learn a bit more about code requirements for design.

As far as hours spent working toward a degree I can attest that both Architects and Engineers work very hard for their diplomas and I have heard many stories of the weeks of sleepless nights for Architecture students when they have their design studio time.

As a Junior you should now be thinking heavily about the college you would like to attend. Make plans to visit the campuses you are considering and make certain to set up a visit / tour at both the college of Architecture and Engineering at each University to get a feel for what they have to offer. You should be able to obtain a general course list for each of the degree programs that you are interested in and it will list which courses you will be expected to complete. This may give you even more insight into what you would like to study.

In addition, being that it is still summer, you could take the time to set up interviews with local professionals about what they do in a given day or during a given project. Meet with a few architects and a few structural engineers to get a good balance of what they really do in the office. I find that most professionals enjoy what they do and would love to share a bit more about their profession with someone interested. You could offer to meet them for breakfast or lunch to discuss more about what they do. Dress as if is an interview, treat it professionally, come with a pad of paper to write notes and think of questions before you arrive. Expect to spend 30 minutes to an hour with them. If you don't know who to contact you could ask to speak with the president of the company or the head of the design department.

Scott Said:

How is the future in Structural/Civil Engineering?

We Answered:

There is a lot of competition in this field. You will need a Masters in Civil Engineering (Structural) to have a chance of getting a job in Structural Engineering.

Civil Engineers are some of the lowest paid engineers out there. And the job market right now sucks. I heard from one friend that is a Civil Engineer that one company in Florida let loose around 100 engineers. It was one of the major national engineering firms. I also hear from people that every engineering firm in Florida is not hiring or letting people go because of the bum economy. If you are a graduating Civil Engineering student in Florida, your choices are slim for jobs and you will be competing with hundreds of other students and out of work Civil Engineers for the work that is out there.

You will never see a six figure income in civil engineering unless you live in a high cost of living area, own your own company or have been with a company for at least 20 years and have become a Senior VP.

Starting salary for Civil Engineers that just graduated back when the economy was good was around $46k but companies are offering a lot less now if they are hiring at all. When you get your PE you will average around $60k and when you work your way up to a managerial position you will get around $80k. Of course, this varies with were you live and the cost of living. You will California Civil Engineers getting $50k to $60k for a starting entry level salary and $80k to $100k for PE's but you have to take into account that you really can't buy a house in California for less than $400k and they have high income taxes and high property taxes.

But if you really like Civil Engineering, go ahead and major in it if you are comfortable with making not a lot of money. And remember this, it is a lot of work for just a middle class income.

Ronnie Said:

Are industrial engineering and Structural engineering the same career?

We Answered:

I was fairly certain they were different, since I am a structural engineer and not an industrial engineer, but I was not aware of the exact definition of industrial engineering. I did a quick search and am somewhat satisfied by the brief explanation given in the WIKI world. The link to the information is below.

In summary of the article (not from personal knowledge), industrial engineers work on making a process more efficient. This is not limited to the "industrial industry"... this could range from health care to theme parks. They use a combination of math, science, social science, physics, etc. to combine into answers that result in a more efficient process.

Structural engineering deals more with the design of physical structures in our built environment. Using math, science, code, and a bit of art and engineering judgment these engineers take materials (usually of well known properties such as wood, concrete, steel, aluminum, bricks, etc.) and design systems that can withstand most expected loads (gravity, wind, earthquake, rain, snow, flood, people, furniture, Christmas dance parties). This could be implemented on buildings, dams, bridges, equipment, mines. Although planes, trains, and automobiles need structure, they usually get attention from mechanical or aerospace engineers with an emphasis in structures rather than the "run of the mill" Civil / Structural engineer.

The salary question is a bit slippery... it really depends on which part of the country, which type of industry, how much experience, level of education and licensure.... my suggestion would be to look for an engineering salary survey to better answer this question. Although even that will be a guess when actually salaries vary fairly widely in my experience. If the answer to this question turns you from one field to the other I think you could miss out on enjoying your career. Take stock of what you are interested in doing, focus on classes in which you have clear natural ability, take summer jobs in fields that you would like to be a professional in and see where it leads you.

Carol Said:

anybody designing houses? i am a structural engineering major wanting to do so. PLEASE lend advice?

We Answered:

You are in the right path. Try to join in a structural engineering or architectural consultation firms to shape up your career. Take FE exam when you attain Senior status.

All the best.

Tracy Said:

those taking structural engineering as a career,?

We Answered:

I am a structural engineer and chose it because I preferred concrete and steel design to roadway design. I like to see my designs get constructed. I specialize and bridges and larger water and wastewater facilities.

You can search the internet for "structural engineer careers" and you will find a lot of good information.

Nicole Said:

Architecture vs. Structural Engineering?

We Answered:

Architects must be aware of how real structures behave, lest they design something which would collapse in a light breeze. However, most of their attention is on designing something that is attractive (or possibly gaudy, depending on the job) to look at. In most cases, the overall design is done by an architect, and the details are sorted out by more technical folks.

A structural/civil engineer takes the reverse approach. They design efficient and functional structures which maximize strength and minimize cost and weight. Making a structure look attractive is of secondary importance, and is usually only done if the job demands it (if the customer wants the building to look a certain way).

Of course, there are people who do both types of design well, and they can be quite successful.

ram said:

how about a combination of civil engg with ms arch degree