Where in Texas best for Electrical Engineer? (Houston, Dallas: to rent, loan)

[molochai2580]

My husband and I want to move to Texas. Currently we are both in school so the move will be at least 1 - 1 1/2 years out. He will have a 2 year engineering degree and wants to finally have an Electrical Engineering degree. My degree will be a BS in Accounting/Business. If he doesn't have his BS when we move he wants to go to University of Texas.

I was thinking the DFW area, but am now wondering if he would have an easier time finding a job in Austin or Houston.

We have no kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats. Since kids are not in our future, schools have little to no meaning for us, except for higher education. Good public transportation would be nice, but don't think we need to live right next to an airport, since we don't travel by plane very much (maybe 1 or 2 times in a 5 year span.) Warmer weather is a plus, preferably the fewer days below 40 degrees the better. I know neighborhood wise is going to fepend a lot on where the employment is, but if anyone has some general suggestions that would be nice.

Does anyone know the best area for us to start searching in, I'm mainly worried about jobs for my husband, since my degree should be able to net me a job pretty much anywhere. Also is there a better city for married couples without kids and who aren't planning on having them? I would prefer to buy a house, but might end up having to rent so a place that is pet friendly would be needed.

[Willsson]

Work in Texas dot com < no spaces, dot = . , but an engineer would know that.

Or...

https://wit.twc.state.tx.us/WORKINTE...Y_TEXT&lang=en

No, Austin or Houston wouldn't be better than Dallas, nor worse. Each is a growing metro. Austin would have a lot of recent UT graduates who would prefer to remain in Austin. Houston a lot of Texas aTm grads who would prefer to live in Houston. Dallas would have both. Competition will be stiff.

Neighborhoods... Houston > north and west; DFW > north wise, watch out for Oklahoma; Austin > west of I-35, more west more better; San Antonio > north north north

Good luck

[Philip T]

This is not all making sense, yet. So help me out.

Originally Posted by molochai2580

My husband and I want to move to Texas.

Everybody has to be somewhere, so Texas meets that part.

Currently we are both in school so the move will be at least 1 - 1 1/2 years out.

He will have a 2 year engineering degree and wants to finally have an Electrical Engineering degree.

This is where you are losing me a bit. Usually a "two year" is not Engineering, per se, and maybe half of it will apply to a 4 year BSEE degree. You/he have looked at some catalogs and transfer info?

My degree will be a BS in Accounting/Business.

Hence you are a plan ahead person. All good.

If he doesn't have his BS when we move he wants to go to University of Texas.

UT Austin, or UT Dallas, or UT Arlington or . . . . ?

That is kind of going to nail down where you are moving to. At least for the first 3 years, or so.

There are more than a few choices all the way through PhD.

I was thinking the DFW area, but am now wondering if he would have an easier time finding a job in Austin or Houston.

About the same. Probably if sorted numerically 1. Houston, 2. Dallas, 3. Austin. But at least in Electrical Engineering it varies by specialty. Check indeed.com. Set the search for Electrical Engineering, the city to one of the above, and the range to 100 miles. That will give a scope for those regions.

But again -- a year and half to arrival + 3 more years of school. Things can CHANGE -- A LOT -- in those 5 years.

We have no kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats. Since kids are not in our future, schools have little to no meaning for us, except for higher education. Good public transportation would be nice, but don't think we need to live right next to an airport, since we don't travel by plane very much (maybe 1 or 2 times in a 5 year span.) Warmer weather is a plus, preferably the fewer days below 40 degrees the better. I know neighborhood wise is going to fepend a lot on where the employment is, but if anyone has some general suggestions that would be nice.

LEASE ONLY. Until you know you really like the area.

Does anyone know the best area for us to start searching in, I'm mainly worried about jobs for my husband, since my degree should be able to net me a job pretty much anywhere. Also is there a better city for married couples without kids and who aren't planning on having them? I would prefer to buy a house, but might end up having to rent so a place that is pet friendly would be needed.

mho. You are thinking WAY too much ahead. School stuff first. Work second. You have some years ahead for those details you are trying to start with, now.

Maybe do some vacation travel time or internships down this way, and see what appeals to you, first hand.

[Sunderpig2]

Coming to Texas with only a 2-year engineering degree, or a 2-year degree being worked on, will probably not get a person very far. So you are right to be concerned with him. I'm not familiar with the accounting field, but hopefully you will be as comfortable finding a job "pretty much anywhere" as you indicate.

As to those two fields taken together, I'd think Dallas would be better than Houston or Austin.

Getting into the University of Texas isn't necessarily an easy thing to do. You don't just sign up and go merrily down the road. There is a much larger demand and number of people that want to get in, than there are available slots. Plus, you should take a very hard look at the costs and expenses. It may very well be out of your price range, unless you can get a loan, etc. Just make sure to take them time and see the big picture before getting too far along and too deep.

Good luck

[hoffdano]

As some people know there are different types of electrical engineers. Some work on electrical power or high energy systems. Others work with circuits or electronics. I think the opportunities in Texas for an EE differ depending on specialty. A power oriented EE might best find opportunities in Houston where the energy business is giant. It isn't just petro chemicals. A person who wants to work on semiconductors might fight better opportunities in Austin.

Getting into UT-Austin as a transfer is not necessarily easy, especially in the college of engineering. Will also have to consider the impact of out of state tuition.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by molochai2580

If he doesn't have his BS when we move he wants to go to University of Texas.

I was thinking the DFW area, but am now wondering if he would have an easier time finding a job in Austin or Houston.

Others have assumed that you're interested in UT Austin, but UT has campuses all over the state. My personal preference - based on my own personal experience with UT Austin and UT San Antonio - would be to look at the latter. San Antonio has one of the fastest growing campuses in the state and offers a full range of engineering/architectural degrees. Cost of living will be as low, if not lower, than campuses in the other major metro areas.

Texas A&M is also a great school with campuses in less costly cities, including the main campus in College Station. Texas Tech is another viable alternative with cheaper cost of living.

Of course I've made the assumption that cost is a factor in your decision when it may not be. All of the large metro areas in the state will have about the same job opportunities, IMO for someone looking to intern, etc.

[molochai2580]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I'm not sure my husband even knows what part of EE he wants to do yet. I'm just gathering information right now, we might stay here in Minnesota until he has his 4 year degree, but the closest college that offers that program is 90 miles away. I'm just trying to figure out what all the options are, including selling our house and renting a place closer to his college of choice, either here or there.

Quick question about out of state tuition, does the length of time you have to live in a state to qualify for in state tuition vary by the college or by the campus? I do know my husband will get a tranfer scholarship of $1000 at UT, which will be renewed each year if he keeps his GPA over a certain point. I'm not sure if Texas A&M has that available for him, I'll have to look into it.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by joqua

Others have assumed that you're interested in UT Austin, but UT has campuses all over the state. My personal preference - based on my own personal experience with UT Austin and UT San Antonio - would be to look at the latter. San Antonio has one of the fastest growing campuses in the state and offers a full range of engineering/architectural degrees. Cost of living will be as low, if not lower, than campuses in the other major metro areas.

Texas A&M is also a great school with campuses in less costly cities, including the main campus in College Station. Texas Tech is another viable alternative with cheaper cost of living.

Of course I've made the assumption that cost is a factor in your decision when it may not be. All of the large metro areas in the state will have about the same job opportunities, IMO for someone looking to intern, etc.

A very sensible and good post. A BSEE from these schools are not meaningfully less valuable than a degree from UT Austin.

[Sunderpig2]

Originally Posted by molochai2580

I do know my husband will get a tranfer scholarship of $1000 at UT

$1000 is nice of course, but in the big scheme of things, that's a drop in the bucket and will get burned up very fast in the name of high tuition. I'd recommend not letting that be too big of a "carrot" to follow. You might find a great school nearby that might save you thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in comparison.

It costs money to move too, and obviously the farther the move, the higher the costs. So that needs to be factored in too. You might want to do a costs/benefits comparison.

[BobTex]

Get out of the cold and come to Texas. University of Houston has an excellent engineering department and the oil industry will need electrical engineers. It should continue to be stable unless fossil fuels are outlawed or continue to get pummeled politically. Also of the cities you mention Houston is warmer and rarely ever gets snow ... if it does snow ... stay home ... most everybody is oblivious to driving in snow. Which brings me to public transportation ... there is very little of it ... especially in Houston. Be prepared to drive ... an automobile is a necessity here.

If y'all come down then "Welcome" !

BTW on of my dearest friends lives in Lino Lakes, just north of Minneapolis.