u/Ok-Future0000

Do employers in the defense sector care where I got my masters from and what it’s in? I’m starting a Masters in Engineering Management in Aug. and applied to these three schools. I prefer ERAU simply because their courses are offered more often and I’m on a tight military retirement timeline and I want to complete it before I get out.

Also since I’m here. Would I be competitive as a project manager or something similar. I’ll have a masters and my PMP.

Im currently a heli pilot but don’t desire to fly anymore. So just trying to start building my resume and work towards useful education goals to try and be competitive.

Any help welcome.

I’m considering starting a master’s in Systems Engineering in the fall but I’m trying to figure out whether it’s a realistic path or a waste of time.

For context, I’m currently an Army helicopter pilot and will be retiring in about 2 years. I’m only mentioning the background because I’m curious whether it moves the needle at all for systems engineering roles, especially in defense/aerospace.

My main concern is that I spend 2 years on the degree and then find out I’m not competitive because I don’t have a traditional engineering bachelor’s. My bachelor’s degree is missing some of the math prerequisites for certain programs, so my options are a little limited.

I’m looking at Johns Hopkins Engineering for Professionals, Penn State, and possibly UMGC as a fallback.

For people already working in systems engineering:

Am I wasting my time pursuing this without an engineering undergraduate degree?

Would this background help at all, or not really?

Which programs would you recommend or avoid?

What entry-level or transition roles should I realistically target?

What salary range should I expect starting out?

Is defense/aerospace the best lane for this kind of transition?

Any honest advice is appreciated. I’m just trying to make a smart decision before committing the time and money. Can’t hurt my feelings.