Skeezix described my thoughts well. I have a BS in Environmental Engineering with my PE. my thoughts on the MS nd PhD are thus:
You are better off going into industry with a Bachelors and then getting the MS or PhD later in what you want than getting them right away and coming out of school with huge salary demands and no worthwhile experience. We do not pay new MS engineers any more than new BS engineers. They are both entry level.
What really matters in my industry is the PE certification. That carries much more weight than either a MS or a PhD. In fact, in my field, we pretty much shy away from PhDs. Having said that, each engineering discipline is a little different in their hiring practices.
To the original question: Encourage him to look very strongly at the BS. An associate engineering degree wouldnt even allow you to put "engineer" on your business card in many states (they require PE certification).
