Mechanical Engineering
Marshall Mixon ~ Liberty High School
What they do
Mechanical engineers are tasked with the design, development, and planning of mechanically functioning projects. These can include cars, and almost every component in and/or on the car, computers and computer parts, and energy conversion.
A Day in the Life of a Mechanical Engineer
A usual day for a mechanical engineer will be spent using CAD programs, and stress analysis programs, to design a product for a company. A mechanical engineer may also test designs and writing reports on the test and the test processes. An engineer may also work with his hands in building parts or a component for a specific project.
Salary
A typical starting salary is around 66,000 dollars, but can climb all the way up to 126,000 dollars. Mechanical engineering managers usually make the most, with mechanical engineers coming in the middle, and mechanical engineering technicians making the least.
Education
Mechanical engineers usually only require a bachelors degree, but if someone is looking at management options, that usually requires a graduate degree. By law, a professional engineering license is required to provide services for the public. To receive this license, graduating from an accredited engineering program, have 4 years of experience, and pass the exam.
Sources
http://data.bls.gov/search/query/results?cx=013738036195919377644%3A6ih0hfrgl50&q=mechanical+engineering+inurl%3Abls.gov%2Foes
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tx.htm#17-0000
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes172141.htm
http://me.columbia.edu/what-mechanical-engineering
http://www.whatdomechanicalengineersdo.net/
http://learn.org/articles/What_Education_is_Needed_for_Becoming_a_Mechanical_Engineer.html