I also strongly encouraged the young engineers we hired to get their P.E. stamp (Professional Engineering certification) as soon as they could. In the real world, outside of the government, that P.E. stamp carries a LOT of weight and can make a huge difference in your earnings in some fields.
The P.E. stamp is much more valuable than a MS or PhD in Engineering, so get the P.E. first and then if you want to get the MS or PhD later, that's okay. My son (who, like his old man, majored in Civil Engineering) just got his P.E. this spring, at age 26, and it's already increased his salary by nearly 50%. Now he's thinking about getting his MS in Engineering Management or an Engineering specialty.
Depending on which state, getting an engineering MS can shorten the time necessary to qualify for the PE. So if you can get that MS while you're working you can sit for the PE exam earlier.
