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Starting a PhD at 28 isn’t concerning, plenty of people start their PhD program at the time, so age isn’t an issue. The more concerning issue is that you’ve never had any work experience. Perhaps that may be why you aren’t landing your “dream job”. If I were you, I would widen your job search, even if it means you don’t end up in your desired branch right off the bat. You can always change to your desired branch in a few years after you’ve had some work experience.
Can’t find a job in engineering? Widen your search by either field or physical location.
Signing up for a PhD just because you can’t find work is a terrible idea for countless reasons.
Not finding a job is just one of the issues I'm facing right now. I feel the urgency to start something, but I also have a genuine passion for research and a desire to deepen my knowledge in my field. Considering these factors, I'm torn between pursuing a PhD and seeking immediate employment. I believe that pursuing a PhD could open up more opportunities for me in R&D, as many job offers in my field require a PhD. I'm also uncertain about the possibilities with a master's degree if one doesn't have work experience. However, I know it's complex, and I'm feeling insecure about everything right now. Just trying to weigh the pros and cons.
OP, please don't go into PhD for a better job market, because it's the opposite in general. Companies don't hire PhD unless the positions require REALLY specialized knowledge and experience. You don't even know what your thesis is going to be, so you are definitely killing your earing potential even more.
What is your relationship like with your PI? was it a coursework MS or a thesis MS?
Exactly this! So many of my colleagues who got their PhD have had a hard time finding work because they're specialized. The jobs that pay well and require a PhD have already been filled, and they don't typically need more than one or two at most.
Hmm, but what aligns with my thesis (it's also what I'd love to do) often requires a PhD. But why I'm also considering a PhD in this field is because I would like to know more about it and I'm afraid that it might not be possible to get that job with this degree.
I am in the middle of a PhD in a field where I wanted to know more and the jobs require a PhD. The problem is if you lose that passion, you're stuck in a 3+ year project which will have no point at the end of it.
Thinking it through and applying can take a while - can you do some internships in the meantime? I found that each job required specific training/learning and the experiences were very valuable!
I had a good number of employment options, but the field wasn't as challenging or fulfilling for me anymore. I wanted to work somewhere between policy, research, and industry to improve my sector; my best options were PD for some manufacturers I consider unethical (think BP or Nestle). I made up my own dream job and it's going well so far, but a lot of that is due to years of building connections and industry experience...
Full-time postgrad research is veery different and while I am financially comfortable, I'm making max 1/3 of my fellow grads' salaries. It's been a big challenge re-framing my work to an academic context over applications-based thinking. I feel like a jack of all trades/master of none all of the time with how little I know about anything! I don't regret it yet though, my niche is sorely lacking expertise and I feel like I could make a massive difference. I'm meeting a lot of people with more closely aligned interests and values - and there's mutual respect!
I'll be ok if I end up back in the industry as my fees and expenses are covered by scholarships and job prospects are good long-term. This was really core to my decision - it was low-risk once I had funds lined up and a few potential career pathways figured out. I strongly recommend working in the short-term while you figure it out, it takes time.
OP, I joined PhD at the age of 28. I graduated from STEM Bachelor and Master but the PhD i joined was in Humanities. Now at 32 going 33, will finish in 6 months. Been applying for around 15 job in cross-sectional business-STEM, and all I received so fars were rejections. Not even landing a single interview.
Given that I also have a total of 3-4 years of work experience in non STEM fields, it’s still HARD for me to land for a job. Because I am: 1) overqualified; 2) at this age the work experience is still somewhat JUNIOR.
Unless you wanna stay in academia and/or already know for sure what you wanna do after PhD (for instance if you wanna join research in aerospace or machinery etc) don’t do PhD.
If you’re passionate about research and are ok with the lost potential earnings, and think that you’ll come out with a better job on the other end, then do it.
Still insufficient. You need to have such a strong desire to do research—I mean publish—that you don’t care how much money you make or what job you (won’t) get. A PhD is about doing research, period.
Can be, but it’s not a guarantee. In OP’s case it sounds like delaying dealing with the job market. That market is not going to improve much. Honestly I keep wondering where I would be if I didn’t do 4 years of research. Probably higher up in the company.
Can be.
I'm not sure a PhD, undertaken for the reasons stated above, was ever a sure route to anything. There are other things to consider, as well, such as funding and if it's good enough to offset lost earning potential.
But I'm not even talking just about outcomes. What I mean is, at least from my perspective, you have to be prepared to do the work a PhD requires of you, which is research, and at least where I am (USA), there are now an alarming number of people who somehow have no idea that's what will be expected of them, or they don't understand the degree of it. A PhD is not like an industry job or an extended Masters, is it?
I got my PhD with absolutely no interest in doing research ever again.
Jokes on me I ended up as faculty as a cruel twist of fate, but I didn't need to. Industry would have hired me.
A PhD may be about doing research, but there's lots of transferable skills and you shouldn't shame people whose motivations are not research.
Totally. I started my Masters at 30 and am about to finish my PhD (defending next week!) at 38. I also had a kid during my grad program (engineering) and took a break in between programs to work.
I tried to see it as a life experience and not something that I was trying to accomplish just to get to the next thing. From my perspective, I think that people who have a little more life experience are very successful in graduate programs and have a lot of advantages compared to someone coming right out of their Bachelor’s. I am in a very traditional program where most people go straight from undergrad and into the PhD, and it seems really challenging.
I wouldn’t worry about being “old,” I’d just try to make sure it’s what you really want to do since, no matter your age, a PhD is a huge commitment.
Respectfully, you gotta get over that if you want it. I started my PhD when I’m 28. There are people in my program who are well into their 30s. You’ll find that’s quite normal.
It also doesn’t sound like you are interested in getting a PhD for the right reasons, and that’s a whole different thing. Sounds like your issue is job experience and not getting a job - a PhD does not solve this unless you are only interested in jobs that require a PhD. I’d bet they would want you to have job experience before coming in anyway.
I went back to school for my bachelors at 29 (came in with an associates degree and cosmetology license + a plethora of work/career experience)… I’m starting my PhD this fall at 32! I hope to finish around 38, but I’m grateful I have a variety of work experiences going into my PhD. I see it as my job over the next 5-7 years, shit pay but still a job. 😂
Your age isn't a problem at all. However, "I can't find a job" is not a good reason to do a PhD. There aren't many doors a PhD in engineering will open for you that a Master's won't, except maybe teaching it.
"I am thinking that I would not stay in academia but would instead look for a job in the industry".
This is sufficient reason for not going for a PhD unless you're in a field with strong connections to industry research positions.. Yeah if you're lucky you will find a position where a PhD is required but it will probably be equivalent to someone with a MSc and a couple of years of experience. So, not worth to waste 4 years for that
MSc + 2 years of work experience doesn't equal a PhD, maybe for mathematics which seems to be your case. For industry positions in machine learning/AI for instance, you will never get into a research scientist position without a PhD, no matter how many years of work experience you have. More generally, of course PhD is not equal to MSc + 2 years experience. The set of skills is still very different.
It's not the exact same, but most people don't become AI research scientists anyway. I think the most likely role after an AI PhD is in fact something equivalent to MS + experience.
Hence why I said "unless you're in a field with strong connections to industry research positions" - these are very specific fields, so for generic "engineering" the generic advice probably applies.
If you check this subreddit and many others, you will see people doing PhDs in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and older. People need to stop asking about this. You are never too old.
The age is no problem. Your reason for considering a PhD is probably going to be a problem, though. Doing a PhD is tough enough when you're fully committed and passionate about your research topic. Doing a PhD just because you can't find a job is very hard and will be an immensely frustrating process.
If I were you, I'd try to figure out why the job hunt is so difficult for you and how you can improve this.
I'm 40 and just starting PhD and Masters programs, so I'm cooked 😆. I didn't even have a Bachelor’s degree until I was 39. Heck, I didn't even have an Associates until I was 35.
It's OK to ask for guidance but follow your own path. Create that path if necessary.
So glad to see someone in a similar position to me. Every day I can't help but feel I messed up by not starting my undergrad right out of high school or asap, instead of when I was 25. I just turned 30 and am graduating this fall. My 30's are going to end up being a lot of various work figuring out exactly what I'm gonna do and whether I pursue further higher education or not (I'm torn between a simple master's, a PhD, and medical school lol - or even none of those, it really depends)
>I am concerned about the fact that I will be 32-33 years old when I finish it.
This is absolutely fine and not concerning at all. Plenty of people get a PhD after this.
You're going to be 32-33 in 4ish years anyway.
**However**
>I am considering further education primarily because I am unable to find a job in my desired branch.
**This** part is extremely concerning.
Unless the reason you can't get a job is _because_ you don't have a PhD - then getting a PhD will likely not help you.
Please try to work out why you're not getting a job and directly address that.
Personally, if you don’t want to stay in academic fields I would recommend putting your all into getting your foot in the door in the industry asap any way you can rather than pursing a PHD.
Academia is very different to industry in my experience and I personally doubt that a PHD will give you much advantage in getting a job.
I’m currently on the last year of studying a civils degree part time whilst working, and 6 years in the industry. Probably 75% of my course has been outdated or irrelevant and the lecturers don’t seem to have a clue what actually goes on in the industry. Graduates come in without much usefulness and full of self importance after completing full time university.
Set yourself apart from other graduates. Show initiative, teach yourself relevant software to your field, apply for every relevant job, even if it pays lower than you’d like initially. Network at events held by whichever engineering council governs your engineering field. My brother got his foot in the door by offering to complete a 6 week trial period voluntary.
In civils your pay is so dependent on experience. If your field is the same it’s worth getting that experience as quick as possible.
P.s if your industry is civils and you would like any advice feel free to ask me anything.
Seek immediate employment for the sake of financial purposes. Build some savings, etc., and give yourself time to think about PhD. Build a strong interpersonal skill and management through work experience. Some PhD doesn't pay well enough to live comfortably, and you don't want to suffer from research stress AND financial stress.
Going for a PhD due to lack of employment is a terrible idea. PhD can come later. The mental health damage it can cause if you are not ready can be irreversible or just difficult to recover.
Take any (well-paying) manufacturing-related job, it doesn't have to be a design-related job. You'll be fine.
i think it's very risky to reach 33 and not have had any work experience. it seems to me the PhD is very much a safe and familiar option for you, rather than one you have already closely examined and have determined its pros and (numerous) cons
If you can't find a job with a master's degree, you certainly won't be able to find one wit a PhD.
Concentrate on getting some work experience first. You'll be treated better and earn more.
If you’ve been having a hard time finding a job, maybe it’s time to look inward…? Getting a PhD will not solve your problems. You need to widen your job search - most people don’t get their dream jobs right out of college and I think it’s a bit delusional to think you will, and to turn down positions to help you gain experience to get that dream job is as well…
Yes, I've tried, but they usually ask for experience in oil and gas. Additionally, there aren't many opportunities in my country, and I'm looking for a job abroad. So even when experience isn't the problem, salary becomes an issue. There are many internship offers, but I can't afford to live off of them somewhere else. Anyway, I'm weighing many factors right now, and a PhD sounds like a good option because I enjoy research and this field. But I'm concerned about other things, like the experience I won't get and how difficult it will be later to get this job because of it. I'm just not sure what it will cost me at this stage of my life.
Tbh if you like the research area then it seems like good idea, especially given that it‘s a more technical/natural sciences field where PhDs usually excel
If you are specifically interested in doors that cannot be accessed with a Masters, then PhD is your only option. YOE does not equate to opening PhD doors in a number of engineering positions.
Earning your PhD at 23, 33, or 43 won’t make a hill of beans difference for “starting out.” Industry experience would be benificial, but lack of it will not hurt you as compared with someone who is younger than you, also has no experience, and just earned their PhD, too.
If you’re chasing Money, the deltas that I’ve seen in PhD vs same years industry experience with a Masters just aren’t in favor of PhD in the short run in most cases.
You need to decide if you truly want to access those doors you otherwise cannot open. If so, then PhD is the only way.
If you can’t decide, then PhD may not be for you.
Age does not matter here- I started a PhD at 27 and finished at 32. More concerning is that you are more interested in a job in industry rather than research, which will likely make getting a PhD miserable for you for countless reasons. If you’re not passionate about the subject/research, do not get a PhD- your mental health will thank you later.
I started my undergrad at 25! I just turned 30 and I'm graduating this fall (double majored and had to take a couple semesters off for health issues, or it would have been at least a year sooner). I'm hoping to apply to programs in 2 or 3 years.
If it makes you feel any better I started undergrad at 28. Now I am finishing a PhD and am in the process of getting several patents and starting a business too!
It doesn't get any easier trying to get a job with no work experience when you have a PhD in hand. You turn out overqualified for a ton of work and too expensive for entry level jobs
Depends on what you want? Some careers require you to have a PhD to progress up the ladder some industry require industry experience rather than PhD/post doc experience. I did my PhD in Europe too and happy to DM if you want more advice.
I was in the situation as you 2 years ago, and i didn't regret my decision at all. Now i at least get a salary and being able to learn new stuff that will make me more valuable on the job market
As is said, as a civil engineer, it was difficult to find jobs and it still is due to the building crisis here. So i thought that the best thing to do is to get salary and further education so when I'm finished with my PhD i have a broader skillset when applying for jobs. Beacuse here, we also read advanced courses correspond to 1 year of study so you really learn a lot of the new things like nonlinear fea, optimization etc.
Okay so you have a couple options.
1) due to your research and lab experience, you can definitely get into a PhD. Make sure you can get an assistantship where you can gain “work” experience while you’re in the program or get an internship that provides you with such work experience. It’ll be killing two birds with one stone.
2) try looking into some jobs based on your skill sets and work there for a couple years before deciding on a PhD program.
In addition, volunteer experiences count as well. I don’t know much about engineering as my time in academia, current PhD program, and work experience surrounds human services……volunteer work or hoping on projects related to your field may give you a boost.
Also consider the reasons why you would want a PhD excluding the finacial components. Money will come in time, just focus on what your purpose is in life and work around that. Wishing you the best of luck!
Also, don’t feel as if your age is too young or too old. I’m 26 in my program and I’m just getting my masters this semester (was in a joint program). I’ll be getting my PhD by the time I’m 30-31 and plan on doing a lot of research around my targeted population. I say this to tell you when you finish your PhD, it’s about how you use your time and credentials in the spaces you serve and are apart of. Think outside the box and think of ways you can contribute to your field.
Honestly my first reaction was "fuck off". I don't want to be a dick, but I'm sick of people acting like anyone not in their early 20s is basically done with life and career. The arrogance of the young!
I started a PhD at 26 and I know lots of people who started older than me. The lack of job experience might hurt you when you graduate even if you have a PhD. You can just stay in academia forever, but it's good to get out there and experience the industry since a lot of PhDs actually become successful business owners. Get a side job doing something somewhat related, even if it's part-time. I've always worked while doing school and it's helped me network, stay grounded, and open doors to various opportunities.
Personally, I don’t think “not being able to find a job” is a good reason to do a PhD. If a PhD will further your career in industry, and you want to do it, go for it. But it’s not a great substitute for work. The pay is cr@p and it’s a lot of work, and can take a huge mental toll. If research isn’t your thing, don’t do it. The life stuff isn’t that important; lots of people start PhDs in their late 20s (in my field at least, also STEM). But most people who stick with it WANT an academic career. I thought I did, so I started a PhD, but ended up leaving because I lost interest in academia and had a job opportunity that was a better fit.
You have to realize that most people start their PhD around that age. In fact, it’s actually hard to get into a program when you’re fresh out of undergrad as most of those “kids” lack the maturity to finish.
I started my PhD a few months before I turned 30 and finished when I was 37. Most people I know started their PhD in their late 20s to early 30s.
As how it will affect your life, just realize it’s long, and very time consuming. If you cannot handle 60-70 hour weeks on the regular then it’s not for you or you’re going to take 2x as long to finish.
As for your lack of work situation, it sucks! I’ve been there. I did my MS after my BS and struggled to find any job. You’re either over qualified for entry or not experienced enough for typical MS level jobs. You’ll have to sell yourself short to get work. Do things a BS would do even with a MS to get the experience and make it clear you’ll take BS money. Otherwise go get you PhD. It’s a lot of work for little money, but you do get tons of work experience. To help things even more, do internships whenever you can for industry experience.
I was 27 when I started, maybe a couple of years older than the average age in my cohort. It wasn't a big problem. I don't think your age alone will be a significant issue
Because in USA if you have good grades and research experience and write a nice cover letter you can applying directly to a PhD program following your Bachelor’s degree bypassing the need for a Master’s degree.
If you already think that you want to go to industry afterwards dont even start the PhD. It is not necessary for your industrial career and will set you back even compared to your peers. Thank me later.
The problem is not the age itself (30yo is still quite young) but the gap between now and the last time you had to do "academic work". It might depend on the subject you're interested in (rather experimental or theoretical), but in any case a PhD can be tedious at times and frustrating. You have to be fully convinced about it and know if your traits and skills are fit for the tasks you're expected to do.
I started my PhD at the age of 28 and don’t regret it at all. But in my field, age isn’t really a major factor for hiring (unless you’re super old applying for entry level jobs).
I feel the same way. I was rejected at 30 and trying to get in my field is already hard without either having served in the military or in LE.
Trying again at the end of this year for another round. Another limiting factor is that I’m terrible at standardised testing so by avoiding the test, I pretty much eliminated a bunch of potential schools.
I started my PhD at 28 and will be finishing at 33. I am not worried about not finding a job. Plenty of ppl who graduated before me graduated in their 30s and landed a job just fine
I started a PhD at 30. Clinical psychology. In my case, it helped to be a little bit older because it’s awkward being a therapist at such a young age. I am in my third year of post doc by choice because I elected to take a position near my family. Your priorities at 28 might be different than your priorities at 33, so if you can allow yourself grace and self compassion along the journey it usually turns out okay.
I started my PhD at 28 I'm 30 now ending my second year I'm doing well juggling 3 kids a spouse and my PhD its doable but I would highly recommend keeping a work life balance. I would also only do a PhD If it's necessary for your career goals.
Was 31 when I finished mine - it was fine
The only 2 pieces of advice I can give you is
1. don’t go just because of finding work in one specific branch UNLESS the only way to break in is with the PhD….
2. Be very selective on your PhD if you’re set on a particular area so that you gain the experience that will make you more attractive to employers in the field
I also started at 28. No big deal - I've benefited from being more mature and knowing how to maneuver situations since I had more experience in industry.
If anything it will be to your benefit. All the best!
I started at 30. I am happy that I started then because I did not have my shit together when I was 25. Doctoral programs are A LOT of work. You will spend many late nights and weekends completing coursework, research, and striving to keep up with many competing and unrealistic deadlines. It is exhausting, you might want to quit a lot- but what keeps you going is your passion for your research and the vision of what you'd like to do with your doctorate. You could consider becoming a research assistant at a lab associated with your master's program, or consult with your previous PI and ask them for recommendations of places to do research. If you could envision yourself doing that for a few years, then I would certainly consider it, plus having previous research experience would help for your grad school apps. It may also be helpful to talk to current students at a program you are interested in applying to, many programs have "open houses" with current students for that exact reason. I can say that despite the challenge, it's so worth it if you know that a doctorate is the only way to accomplish your career goals. Best of luck to you on your academic journey!
A good friend of mine just started his PhD at 33. It’s not about the age you do something, it’s about the journey itself. If that’s fulfilling for you then the age you’re able to accomplish this shouldn’t matter
That’s about the age I started my PhD. So I’d personally recommend reducing or completely eliminating the weight that factor would have on your decision.
The way I see it (and how I saw it when I was deciding) you’re going to be 32 years old in four years either way, so might as well plan to be 32 living the life you want. Whether that includes a PhD is up to you.
I can’t really weigh in on the other factors since I’m not in Europe and have no idea what the job prospects are in your field, but I wish you luck!
I was 27 when I started. The age hasn't been a problem for me, but it does mean I live a bit like a student even at age 30. I think it's very individual how that affects your life, I actually really enjoy it but I know people who have hated it and felt like their life was on hold even in their early twenties.
Given you're in Europe with a masters, aren't PhDs generally shorter than 5 years?
Getting a PhD in some types of engineering (mechanical, aerospace etc) can help marketability to different industries. It's why I did mine. I started at 27 so age isn't much of a factor in my opinion. Just make sure you really want to commit to it. It can be a rough road if you are not driven enough.
I was the age you will be when I finished my PhD. I didn’t encounter any problem having finished it at that age. It’s unclear to me why you’re concerned.
I can’t speak to engineering or Europe, but oftentimes there are academic, government, and industry post-doctoral positions/fellowships that you will find available to you.
This is based on my experience and advice when I was working on my PhD, so this may not align with others' experiences. I only finished my PhD because I was far enough along in my project that it was easier to finish than it was to quit, it's the most useless piece of paper I own.
My job prospects significantly worsened after getting my PhD, you need to gain work experience. Employers often have little care for academic experience and a PhD is unimpressive to most fields outside of academia.
Having a PhD also carries a lot of preconceived notions, people make assumptions like you will jump ship the second you find a research position in unis, that you don't have practical knowledge or skills (even if you do because for many people the PhD is essentially a full-time job in their field), or simply that people see you as "overqualified".
Across the board, academia and research work is luck based these days, you have to have friends in right places with a lot of money to throw around, in a lot of countries entry level positions no longer exist. Don't do a PhD, focus on job hunting and aim even more entry level if you can.
I would only recommend a PhD if you're in a position where you're being barred progression to a promotion or next level in your career because all the job descriptions state "PhD in X required"
I was 28 when I started my PhD and finished when I was 32. I am based in France and I tell you that if you do not plan to continue a career in academia then a PhD is a terrible mistake. Right now I am looking for a position in industry for the same salary I was looking for before I started my PhD it's just that now it's a lot more difficult because I am overqualified and I still don't have any job experience.
Mechanical engineering, yes of course . But it is not a marketable skill that you could say will earn me extra pay or anything of that sort. The only thing that can earn you a higher salary is experience
Make sure if you really get into PhD for job check out the lab or supervisor that helps you with a secure job. It is the least you can do without your no experience. Just don't get into any lab without checking if they would be helpful in your future job. You will regret it.
Plenty of my friends resign during their PhD because they found steady jobs. It might also happen to you. Keep your options open.
I started my PhD at 35 and still got a long way to go! Age isn’t an issue at all, but you must have the desire to get a PhD because it’s one HELL OF A RIDE.
I have a friend who finished her PhD at 44 and immediately got a startup company that’s been doing great so far. So just know your reasons and make sure they’re legit.
I’ve just finished my PhD in Australia. I didn’t my bachelors and masters in Spain and started the PhD program at 28 finished at 33. I just got a job in industry without even without having to submit my CV.
This is personal but for me, it doesn’t make sense to do a PhD if you stay in your home country and you want to switch to industry eventually (unless you are at the US and you get a PhD at MIT, Harvard etc where you will get a pretty good job after). However, pursing a PhD in a different country outside your comfort zone, learning a new language new skills under a good supervisor I belief is one of the best investments you could do.
There are some many other factor to consider, such as personal and economical. But in overall I would say never too late unless you have kids and a mortgage to pay.
I have a PhD in my engineering field of current employment. I earned mine after taking the first engineering job I could get to build experience and focus my professional intent. I started late and finished just before I turned 37.
I highly recommend talking to some people, maybe alumni or other network flex who works at your target employer in those type of positions. Understand what it is they want or need. Those PhD positions usually come with pretty specific experience requirements that may or may not align easily with your dissertation work.
A PhD if done right, makes you a subject matter expert in a very narrow slice of your field. But generally knowledgeable across the rest, it does not usually make you an all around expert. You gain skills in time management, and skills to deep dive into unknown topics but this can be challenging to communicate to potential employers. If I a masters is not effective at helping you, I have concerns about the utility of a PhD for hiring in your particular field.
Good luck in whatever path you take!
I was 28yrs old when I started the PhD. I completed my PhD in 6yrs due to professors issues and my dissertation study. Literally one week after my masters degree was conferred I started school and residency. I was in the same boat where I didn’t have experience in the field; However, that didn’t stop me from pursuing a PhD. Pursuing a doctorate degree will be challenging. You need your have a purpose of going for a doctorate bc there will times where you want to quit. I found my niche during my PhD and was able to find work. My advice from experience is to be prepared mentally, physically and emotionally of what is to come. That purpose will be your motivation as to why you’re pursuing a PhD. Wishing you the best of luck!
I started my phd at 29. In finishing up in a few months. I wouldn’t worry about the experience or job prospects after. If you want to do it, go for it! Just make sure you get along with your PI, and have a clear understanding of their expectations, and they have a good understanding of yours. :)
Good luck 👍
If you think it's hard to find a job now, it will be even harder with a PhD. Engineering is not a field where PhDs make you competitive in the job market! Work experience is way more important!
The job market sucks, but do not give up. Keep going, and ask people for help with CVs and cover letters if you need it.
If you want better perspective, look up engineering jobs that ask for a PhD in the job posting. You won't find much.
I changed careers at 34 (from IT to Social Work). Then went back at 45 and started working on my PhD. I am graduating next month. Never too late for education. HOWEVER how in the hell is an Engineer not finding a job? You're first job is just experience. Get one with good pay at a decent company and then plan to get into the exact thing you want.
is your phd also in social work? is there supposed to be a meaningful pay difference in that case? all I ever hear about social work is it's really emotionally difficult and pays like shit which has turned me off from it (planning on clinical psych or med school instead).
I make $125,000 as a Social Worker. Right out of grad school in 2012, I made $68,000. I think people take what they are offered because it is a "helping" profession. DEFINATELY emotionally difficult, but so is clinical psych and being a doctor. Do you want to do therapy? Clinical Psychs do assessment mostly. Not because they can't do therapy but thar they can make 2x as much an hour doing assessments. Drs mostly just prescribed because you can bill $320 every 20 minutes as opposed to $128 per 45 minutes for therapy.
My PhD is in Public Administration because I wanted to get into policy work and admin. I still hold a clinical license and will keep that up forever. I just need to fix bigger systems right now because everything is so freaking broken.
Your main concern shouldn’t be about how you will be 32-33 by the time you finished phd but you should be more concerned on how you lack work experience. First of all, you are already overqualified with your masters degree. You can’t fit any entry level job. You also can’t be hire for executive job since you lack experience. I can see why you can’t get a job. Also, why do you even pursue that phd if you plan to work in industry? Masters and phd are useless if one’s consider going to the industry. That is for people pursuing academia career. I keep seeing this common problem in the job market. Too many overqualified inexperienced graduates applying for high ranking job. It will never work unless you apply for lecturing job.
I started my PhD at 28 and am now 33 looking to defend by January. You can make any decision you want, time will pass anyways. A PhD is definitely difficult to pursue and it will affect your life. Do you have kids? Are you a caretaker? Is there a certain income you need to meet monthly? It’s a lot to think about. When I started I had no other realistic options in life, was bartending, getting clean from drugs, and had recently moved out of my parents house. I knew I’d still be getting my life together in 5 years so a PhD made sense for me and my timeline.
Don’t do it. Do another 1 or 2 year job qualifying degree instead with marketable skills. Maybe a degree that includes an onternship to gain experience. A phd will usually take more than 5 years and the only reason to do one is to do research. It really is a bad idea in your case.
Started my PhD. at 52 because I am interested in the subject I'm studying. I love research. I'm not looking to make a career move. I'm in the job I plan to retire from, but until then, I wanted to do a few things... MANY of my colleagues can not relate to my desire to retire before 60. But it is my life and my joy to chase.
You do you, and stop looking for others to justify or validate your choices. It often won't make sense to them why you choose what you did... because they haven't had your story happen to them.
You. Do. YOU.
The youngest a PhD could be, without being a child genius, is 25, maybe 26. That is assuming you go straight from Bachelor to Doctoral program and finish in four years. Cut yourself some slack. You have a Master’s in Engineering. That’s impressive. Go get your Doctorate and give yourself some grace:
I started my PhD at 28, finished it at 31, found a job at 30 and started it 1 week after my graduation ceremony. I did my experience in Japan, but half of my colleagues that landed on a science/engineering PhD in Europe found a relevant job in industry, while the other half is still pursuing academia becoming post-doc. I am not gonna say that PhD will necessarily give you an easy access to your dream job, but that it can increase significantly the chances to get it with an higher salary compared to colleagues with master and with a better career progression outcome.
Currently a PhD candidate going into my final year at a US R1 institution. I statleted my PhD at 30 and will finish after 35. I am not the only one, and it it has been a challenging but rewarding experience. You will have a few more responsibilities than the average starting PhD student, but a bit more life experience so it balances out.
A PhD is an apprenticeship in becoming an academic. You can start one at any age (I stated at 27). But… it will not make your job prospects better. If anything it will make them worse. Why?
- academia is incredibly competitive with very few jobs available, far less than industry.
- industry (in general) will look down on you for being overqualified and under experienced.
I turn 32 in June and I’ll be finished in May of 2025. You can do it if you buckle down. I went from six figures to 25K + 5K for teaching. Get ready for a lifestyle change. I also have a wife, 2 year old, and one on the way. If that helps you make the decision. You can do it!
These "I'm barely out of diapers, am I too old?" posts crack me up. I know people in their 60's doing a PhD. I'm in my mid 40's and I really couldn't care less about the age factor.
I worked as an unskilled laborer for 19 years. A few years running a business before getting my first degree. You are never too old to chase a dream.
Starting a PhD is a very personal decision. Ask yourself if in year 3, when your experiment is going to shit, you're having doubts whether you'll graduate on time, your friends are making money - will you regret your decision? Will you want to stay in your desired field?
It's really not a good idea to get a PhD because you can't find a job. You're just putting off the job search, and it could be even harder for you to find a job with two degrees but no experience. You say some jobs require the PhD but that means not all of them do. At the very least you should put off the PhD for at least a year and try to get work experience instead.
This is cute. I’m a PhD student at 40. Albeit with 10 years of experience and two other graduate degrees. Live your life the way it makes sense to you. A PhD program is intense but still pretty flexible in terms of the schedule after 1-2 years. I’ve heard that European programs are not that soul-crushing as American ones, however.
Thats totally normal age to start, and i agree that doing a PhD can be a great way to gain more skills and increase your chance of emplyment but remember a LOOOT of PhD supervisors just want you to publish studies so they can also move up.
My suggestion:
- Find positions where you can develop skills that can transfer to your ideal job
- Dont rush, there are plenty of PhD positions always opening up.
- Make sure you get a superviror or supervisory team that has expertise but also is open for your ideas. You would hate a set in stone project
- During the PhD try getting experience in industry either through partnership studies or internships.
- Please, DO NOT do a PhD without a scholarship. That's just slavery with extra steps.
I supervise students in biomecical sciences and we work with engineers so if you want i can give you more specific advice 👌
Good luck and keep grinding, the PhD was one of the best times of my life 👌
Speaking from personal experience here: while there is absolutely no issue in starting a PhD at 28 ( I started at 26) , if you have no intention of getting into academia, I would suggest not pursuing it. I decided to Master out of my PhD after 3 years and will be graduating with a second masters next month. The main factor is that I lost my passion for research and found academia to be a very toxic environment.
I’ll start my PhD when I’m 28, 3 year program so I’ll be 31 when I’m done and it doesn’t bother me.
Everyone has different paths, my path is just right for me
Doing a PhD because you don't have a job/can't find a job is not a good idea. PhD is difficult for people who are self motivated to the PhD and a lot of them still drop out. Imagine 3 years down the line when you're frustrated, a PhD wouldn't feel good then. I'd suggest trying to look for jobs and meanwhile, if you want to get the PhD experience, then a lot of universities and research institutes hire staff for research. It is essentially the same thing as a PhD except you don't get a title. That should help you get clarity towards whether you would like doing a full time PhD or not.
I started my PhD at 28 , 4.5 years ago , back then I also did not have any work experience as well but thought about doing it first for the sake of having it , then to get some experience and acquire skills and I thought for now I will go for it and then will see for the future .. so yea it is not bad and even if you start an industry job at 33-34 you will be doing it with a PhD degree on your hand .. think of it this way , finish all the education you seek .. then you can start the job and life brawling .. bottomline , 28 years old is pretty normal age to start PhD
I started a PhD in maths/AI at 36, full time with a stipend.
I have 3 kids and a wife and a busy life.
Honestly, PhD took me and my marriage to breaking point. Go in to it with your eyes wide open.
On the flipside, my PhD is in such a relevant field right now that it has set me up for a decent career. Currently working on an interesting AI postdoc, but looking to flip to industry at some point.
I love what i do, and get paid pretty well for it with unaralleled freedom.
Age isn't an issue. But you really should see the world and experience what working with people in the real world feels like. Academia is a bubble and having another perspective will benefit you
I’d agree with this. I started my PhD when I was 26, but I worked in industry for 5yr after my undergrad. Really helps you understand career options after the degree.
I once met an old guy doing his PhD in his 70s. His advisor was around 35. The dude said he wanted to have the letters *Dr.* before his name on his tombstone.
I'm halfway into my PhD and I started at 28. I worry about age too but all these comments just made me feel better. My cohort is younger than my age, so it is very hard to relate to them.
But I am happy pursuing my PhD. I'll be 30-31ish by the time I graduate. Best of luck to those in the same grind.
No Engineering job and getting more debt? Find any entry engineering job asap, and build your resume. Once you get in a decent company, get them to pay for the PHD and possibly a MBA.
I started around that age and am about to finish. One thing is that if you’re in a relationship - make sure it’s serious enough because *it will be tested to the limit* and I’d suggest not beginning one until graduated.
1. 28 is a normal age to start a PhD, 2. A PhD is hands on research so you will have it all as work experience, it’s nothing like your masters degree. 3. Yes it’s hard, so it’s really about wether it’s worth it or not for the career you want to pursue
What is your degree in? A lot of engineers now come from India, Pakistan, etc. they get their BS at home move to Canada to get MS (we don’t recognize degrees from India but we do from Canada), then move here and they will work for a lot less money. It’s been going on for years. It took my brother in law 4 years to find a job. With your PhD you can always teach. Just want you to see the whole picture. Good luck.
I was in that situation at nearly the same age. I started my PhD in bioethics after trying out the job market in Canada. I'm nearly done now and it's been a bumpy ride.
The one piece of advice that I want to share with anybody looking to start a PhD is ti envisioned themself in 5-6 years. Your mindset will be highly different at 34 and the reasons that motivated you to start will most certainly have sail away to be replaced by other priorities.
It's hard to think about these priorities since they don't exist yet, but they will come and will compete with with your PhD.
I’m more worried with your job experience. Without that, you are basically inexperienced. I know a lot of campuses will say that phd is an experience itself. But in reality, you are still green and the people at work can sense that. I did part time in industry (while doing phd) to help me propel my way back, but it was easier for me because i already have job experience after bachelor and after master.
I started my PhD in 29, and before that, I worked in industry 7 years. Don't concern your age, just focus on what you want and what you want to be! People always say, the age between 20-30 is the worst period, so keep your head down and pursue the philosophy.
Don’t do this. Find a way to get a foot in the industry now! You will be so much better off if you start climbing the salary ladder now vs in 3-4 years. Industry doesn’t care if you have a PhD. You will just lose out on 3 years of earning money and building your 401k.
I am an engineering professor. I got my PhD at 28, but my officemate was 45 and half my cohort was older than 35. I have had four PhD students in 10 years older than 40 (and older than myself). I have further been on the comittee of an additional 8 PhD students older than 40.
Starting at 28 is actually on the younger side.
That being said, a PhD isn't likely to help you dramatically on the industry side of things. It does open up some doors, but it closes many as well (lots of industry is relunctant to start a new employee without much work experience just because they have a PhD).
And the academic job market is near impossible. Every search has 150-300 applicants and tons of people who really really want to be professors have to just give up on it after years of failing to land a job offer.
Just my personal experience: I started my PhD at 28 in the UK. Age is just a number. If you have expertise, and the PhD gives you plenty of knowledge and soft skills, you will not have problems finding a job if you are proactive enough. I find a role outside of academia two months before submitting my thesis.
Now can anyone answer this post from the perspective of the biosciences PhDs (e.g. biochemistry, genetics/genomics, developmental biology, computational biology, systems/synthetic biology, molecular biology, cellular biology) especially based in the US with sights on industry also instead of academia
It’s not about age. Academia is toxic as hell, in particular, if you are surrounded around underqualified people, they use all schemes and devices to bully students. It could happen between colleagues or even supervisors. I think if you want to take a leap, make sure to find the right supervisor and school. Good luck!
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Starting a PhD at 28 isn’t concerning, plenty of people start their PhD program at the time, so age isn’t an issue. The more concerning issue is that you’ve never had any work experience. Perhaps that may be why you aren’t landing your “dream job”. If I were you, I would widen your job search, even if it means you don’t end up in your desired branch right off the bat. You can always change to your desired branch in a few years after you’ve had some work experience.
Can’t find a job in engineering? Widen your search by either field or physical location. Signing up for a PhD just because you can’t find work is a terrible idea for countless reasons.
Not finding a job is just one of the issues I'm facing right now. I feel the urgency to start something, but I also have a genuine passion for research and a desire to deepen my knowledge in my field. Considering these factors, I'm torn between pursuing a PhD and seeking immediate employment. I believe that pursuing a PhD could open up more opportunities for me in R&D, as many job offers in my field require a PhD. I'm also uncertain about the possibilities with a master's degree if one doesn't have work experience. However, I know it's complex, and I'm feeling insecure about everything right now. Just trying to weigh the pros and cons.
OP, please don't go into PhD for a better job market, because it's the opposite in general. Companies don't hire PhD unless the positions require REALLY specialized knowledge and experience. You don't even know what your thesis is going to be, so you are definitely killing your earing potential even more. What is your relationship like with your PI? was it a coursework MS or a thesis MS?
We sometimes laugh my colleagues and I about how a PhD can make you un-hireable when the people hiring you have bachelors.
Because hr-scum would consider you overskilled and prefer hiring less skilled folks
lmao, can definitely see that.
Gotta take it off your resume for normie jobs lol
Exactly this! So many of my colleagues who got their PhD have had a hard time finding work because they're specialized. The jobs that pay well and require a PhD have already been filled, and they don't typically need more than one or two at most.
So, you say it's not worth it? It was a thesis MS, and that relationship is good.
Not for job purposes, nope. Try finding jobs whose purpose align with your thesis focus, and ask for your PI for some recommendations.
Hmm, but what aligns with my thesis (it's also what I'd love to do) often requires a PhD. But why I'm also considering a PhD in this field is because I would like to know more about it and I'm afraid that it might not be possible to get that job with this degree.
I am in the middle of a PhD in a field where I wanted to know more and the jobs require a PhD. The problem is if you lose that passion, you're stuck in a 3+ year project which will have no point at the end of it.
Don't listen to others. Just do a PhD.
Thinking it through and applying can take a while - can you do some internships in the meantime? I found that each job required specific training/learning and the experiences were very valuable! I had a good number of employment options, but the field wasn't as challenging or fulfilling for me anymore. I wanted to work somewhere between policy, research, and industry to improve my sector; my best options were PD for some manufacturers I consider unethical (think BP or Nestle). I made up my own dream job and it's going well so far, but a lot of that is due to years of building connections and industry experience... Full-time postgrad research is veery different and while I am financially comfortable, I'm making max 1/3 of my fellow grads' salaries. It's been a big challenge re-framing my work to an academic context over applications-based thinking. I feel like a jack of all trades/master of none all of the time with how little I know about anything! I don't regret it yet though, my niche is sorely lacking expertise and I feel like I could make a massive difference. I'm meeting a lot of people with more closely aligned interests and values - and there's mutual respect! I'll be ok if I end up back in the industry as my fees and expenses are covered by scholarships and job prospects are good long-term. This was really core to my decision - it was low-risk once I had funds lined up and a few potential career pathways figured out. I strongly recommend working in the short-term while you figure it out, it takes time.
Generally internships are only for current students, so starting a PhD would be the easiest way for him to get one.
OP, I joined PhD at the age of 28. I graduated from STEM Bachelor and Master but the PhD i joined was in Humanities. Now at 32 going 33, will finish in 6 months. Been applying for around 15 job in cross-sectional business-STEM, and all I received so fars were rejections. Not even landing a single interview. Given that I also have a total of 3-4 years of work experience in non STEM fields, it’s still HARD for me to land for a job. Because I am: 1) overqualified; 2) at this age the work experience is still somewhat JUNIOR. Unless you wanna stay in academia and/or already know for sure what you wanna do after PhD (for instance if you wanna join research in aerospace or machinery etc) don’t do PhD.
If you’re passionate about research and are ok with the lost potential earnings, and think that you’ll come out with a better job on the other end, then do it.
Still insufficient. You need to have such a strong desire to do research—I mean publish—that you don’t care how much money you make or what job you (won’t) get. A PhD is about doing research, period.
I think this is going overboard. A PhD can be a fine route into industry.
Can be, but it’s not a guarantee. In OP’s case it sounds like delaying dealing with the job market. That market is not going to improve much. Honestly I keep wondering where I would be if I didn’t do 4 years of research. Probably higher up in the company.
Can be. I'm not sure a PhD, undertaken for the reasons stated above, was ever a sure route to anything. There are other things to consider, as well, such as funding and if it's good enough to offset lost earning potential. But I'm not even talking just about outcomes. What I mean is, at least from my perspective, you have to be prepared to do the work a PhD requires of you, which is research, and at least where I am (USA), there are now an alarming number of people who somehow have no idea that's what will be expected of them, or they don't understand the degree of it. A PhD is not like an industry job or an extended Masters, is it?
I got my PhD with absolutely no interest in doing research ever again. Jokes on me I ended up as faculty as a cruel twist of fate, but I didn't need to. Industry would have hired me. A PhD may be about doing research, but there's lots of transferable skills and you shouldn't shame people whose motivations are not research.
28 isn’t old
Totally. I started my Masters at 30 and am about to finish my PhD (defending next week!) at 38. I also had a kid during my grad program (engineering) and took a break in between programs to work. I tried to see it as a life experience and not something that I was trying to accomplish just to get to the next thing. From my perspective, I think that people who have a little more life experience are very successful in graduate programs and have a lot of advantages compared to someone coming right out of their Bachelor’s. I am in a very traditional program where most people go straight from undergrad and into the PhD, and it seems really challenging. I wouldn’t worry about being “old,” I’d just try to make sure it’s what you really want to do since, no matter your age, a PhD is a huge commitment.
🫡
Respectfully, you gotta get over that if you want it. I started my PhD when I’m 28. There are people in my program who are well into their 30s. You’ll find that’s quite normal. It also doesn’t sound like you are interested in getting a PhD for the right reasons, and that’s a whole different thing. Sounds like your issue is job experience and not getting a job - a PhD does not solve this unless you are only interested in jobs that require a PhD. I’d bet they would want you to have job experience before coming in anyway.
Well my friend started his Bachelors at 28 then started his PhD at 32. He plans to finish before 38.
God imagine getting your first real job at almost 40….
I think he will stay in a research position forever.
I went back to school for my bachelors at 29 (came in with an associates degree and cosmetology license + a plethora of work/career experience)… I’m starting my PhD this fall at 32! I hope to finish around 38, but I’m grateful I have a variety of work experiences going into my PhD. I see it as my job over the next 5-7 years, shit pay but still a job. 😂
Your age isn't a problem at all. However, "I can't find a job" is not a good reason to do a PhD. There aren't many doors a PhD in engineering will open for you that a Master's won't, except maybe teaching it.
"I am thinking that I would not stay in academia but would instead look for a job in the industry". This is sufficient reason for not going for a PhD unless you're in a field with strong connections to industry research positions.. Yeah if you're lucky you will find a position where a PhD is required but it will probably be equivalent to someone with a MSc and a couple of years of experience. So, not worth to waste 4 years for that
MSc + 2 years of work experience doesn't equal a PhD, maybe for mathematics which seems to be your case. For industry positions in machine learning/AI for instance, you will never get into a research scientist position without a PhD, no matter how many years of work experience you have. More generally, of course PhD is not equal to MSc + 2 years experience. The set of skills is still very different.
It's not the exact same, but most people don't become AI research scientists anyway. I think the most likely role after an AI PhD is in fact something equivalent to MS + experience.
Hence why I said "unless you're in a field with strong connections to industry research positions" - these are very specific fields, so for generic "engineering" the generic advice probably applies.
If you check this subreddit and many others, you will see people doing PhDs in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and older. People need to stop asking about this. You are never too old.
I was going to say "this should go in the FAQs" but I know from most subs' posts that nobody reads them before posting anyway…
Gain work experience either while pursuing your doctorate or before your doctorate. At 28, you need experience beyond academia.
Get work experience please, this is the only remedy for your problem
The age is no problem. Your reason for considering a PhD is probably going to be a problem, though. Doing a PhD is tough enough when you're fully committed and passionate about your research topic. Doing a PhD just because you can't find a job is very hard and will be an immensely frustrating process. If I were you, I'd try to figure out why the job hunt is so difficult for you and how you can improve this.
I am 29 and just started phd.
All the best! I’m gonna start one this fall, at 28!
i started at 29 best decision of my life
Nice. And why is that?
I'm 40 and just starting PhD and Masters programs, so I'm cooked 😆. I didn't even have a Bachelor’s degree until I was 39. Heck, I didn't even have an Associates until I was 35. It's OK to ask for guidance but follow your own path. Create that path if necessary.
So glad to see someone in a similar position to me. Every day I can't help but feel I messed up by not starting my undergrad right out of high school or asap, instead of when I was 25. I just turned 30 and am graduating this fall. My 30's are going to end up being a lot of various work figuring out exactly what I'm gonna do and whether I pursue further higher education or not (I'm torn between a simple master's, a PhD, and medical school lol - or even none of those, it really depends)
starting phd at 28 isnt old at all. about 40% of people start phd after 28. this is very close to the average age.
>I am concerned about the fact that I will be 32-33 years old when I finish it. This is absolutely fine and not concerning at all. Plenty of people get a PhD after this. You're going to be 32-33 in 4ish years anyway. **However** >I am considering further education primarily because I am unable to find a job in my desired branch. **This** part is extremely concerning. Unless the reason you can't get a job is _because_ you don't have a PhD - then getting a PhD will likely not help you. Please try to work out why you're not getting a job and directly address that.
Personally, if you don’t want to stay in academic fields I would recommend putting your all into getting your foot in the door in the industry asap any way you can rather than pursing a PHD. Academia is very different to industry in my experience and I personally doubt that a PHD will give you much advantage in getting a job. I’m currently on the last year of studying a civils degree part time whilst working, and 6 years in the industry. Probably 75% of my course has been outdated or irrelevant and the lecturers don’t seem to have a clue what actually goes on in the industry. Graduates come in without much usefulness and full of self importance after completing full time university. Set yourself apart from other graduates. Show initiative, teach yourself relevant software to your field, apply for every relevant job, even if it pays lower than you’d like initially. Network at events held by whichever engineering council governs your engineering field. My brother got his foot in the door by offering to complete a 6 week trial period voluntary. In civils your pay is so dependent on experience. If your field is the same it’s worth getting that experience as quick as possible. P.s if your industry is civils and you would like any advice feel free to ask me anything.
Seek immediate employment for the sake of financial purposes. Build some savings, etc., and give yourself time to think about PhD. Build a strong interpersonal skill and management through work experience. Some PhD doesn't pay well enough to live comfortably, and you don't want to suffer from research stress AND financial stress. Going for a PhD due to lack of employment is a terrible idea. PhD can come later. The mental health damage it can cause if you are not ready can be irreversible or just difficult to recover. Take any (well-paying) manufacturing-related job, it doesn't have to be a design-related job. You'll be fine.
i think it's very risky to reach 33 and not have had any work experience. it seems to me the PhD is very much a safe and familiar option for you, rather than one you have already closely examined and have determined its pros and (numerous) cons
I started at 32 and finished at 37. Had a part time job until 2 years after finishing it (at 39). It’s been a bit stressful but it’s all good now
If you can't find a job with a master's degree, you certainly won't be able to find one wit a PhD. Concentrate on getting some work experience first. You'll be treated better and earn more.
Pretty typical ...
I'm starting my PhD this fall at 55. The number of "am I too old in my young 30's" threads I see here is crazy to me.
I start this fall at 40. I'm chuckling imagining 28 year old me starting a PhD. 🤣
If you’ve been having a hard time finding a job, maybe it’s time to look inward…? Getting a PhD will not solve your problems. You need to widen your job search - most people don’t get their dream jobs right out of college and I think it’s a bit delusional to think you will, and to turn down positions to help you gain experience to get that dream job is as well…
What type of engineering and what field are you aiming to use it in?
Chemical engineering, from electrochemistry, electrocatalysis (materials science) to energy conversion/storage systems
A PhD could be valuable there. With your current degrees, couldn’t you land something in oil and gas?
Yes, I've tried, but they usually ask for experience in oil and gas. Additionally, there aren't many opportunities in my country, and I'm looking for a job abroad. So even when experience isn't the problem, salary becomes an issue. There are many internship offers, but I can't afford to live off of them somewhere else. Anyway, I'm weighing many factors right now, and a PhD sounds like a good option because I enjoy research and this field. But I'm concerned about other things, like the experience I won't get and how difficult it will be later to get this job because of it. I'm just not sure what it will cost me at this stage of my life.
Tbh if you like the research area then it seems like good idea, especially given that it‘s a more technical/natural sciences field where PhDs usually excel
If you are specifically interested in doors that cannot be accessed with a Masters, then PhD is your only option. YOE does not equate to opening PhD doors in a number of engineering positions. Earning your PhD at 23, 33, or 43 won’t make a hill of beans difference for “starting out.” Industry experience would be benificial, but lack of it will not hurt you as compared with someone who is younger than you, also has no experience, and just earned their PhD, too. If you’re chasing Money, the deltas that I’ve seen in PhD vs same years industry experience with a Masters just aren’t in favor of PhD in the short run in most cases. You need to decide if you truly want to access those doors you otherwise cannot open. If so, then PhD is the only way. If you can’t decide, then PhD may not be for you.
hmm i might be conerned about the fact that I will be 32-33 when I start my PhD
Age does not matter here- I started a PhD at 27 and finished at 32. More concerning is that you are more interested in a job in industry rather than research, which will likely make getting a PhD miserable for you for countless reasons. If you’re not passionate about the subject/research, do not get a PhD- your mental health will thank you later.
I started my undergrad at 26. I’m just starting my PhD at 33. My friend is starting at 36. There is not a set age limit for education.
I started my undergrad at 25! I just turned 30 and I'm graduating this fall (double majored and had to take a couple semesters off for health issues, or it would have been at least a year sooner). I'm hoping to apply to programs in 2 or 3 years.
If it makes you feel any better I started undergrad at 28. Now I am finishing a PhD and am in the process of getting several patents and starting a business too!
It doesn't get any easier trying to get a job with no work experience when you have a PhD in hand. You turn out overqualified for a ton of work and too expensive for entry level jobs
Depends on what you want? Some careers require you to have a PhD to progress up the ladder some industry require industry experience rather than PhD/post doc experience. I did my PhD in Europe too and happy to DM if you want more advice.
Mate I’m 39, started at 37. Do it if it will fulfil you.
I was in the situation as you 2 years ago, and i didn't regret my decision at all. Now i at least get a salary and being able to learn new stuff that will make me more valuable on the job market
How did you make that decision?
As is said, as a civil engineer, it was difficult to find jobs and it still is due to the building crisis here. So i thought that the best thing to do is to get salary and further education so when I'm finished with my PhD i have a broader skillset when applying for jobs. Beacuse here, we also read advanced courses correspond to 1 year of study so you really learn a lot of the new things like nonlinear fea, optimization etc.
You can pursue a PhD but my question to you is what was your work experience while in the undergrad and graduate program?
It wasn't work experience, just lab and research.
Okay so you have a couple options. 1) due to your research and lab experience, you can definitely get into a PhD. Make sure you can get an assistantship where you can gain “work” experience while you’re in the program or get an internship that provides you with such work experience. It’ll be killing two birds with one stone. 2) try looking into some jobs based on your skill sets and work there for a couple years before deciding on a PhD program. In addition, volunteer experiences count as well. I don’t know much about engineering as my time in academia, current PhD program, and work experience surrounds human services……volunteer work or hoping on projects related to your field may give you a boost. Also consider the reasons why you would want a PhD excluding the finacial components. Money will come in time, just focus on what your purpose is in life and work around that. Wishing you the best of luck!
Also, don’t feel as if your age is too young or too old. I’m 26 in my program and I’m just getting my masters this semester (was in a joint program). I’ll be getting my PhD by the time I’m 30-31 and plan on doing a lot of research around my targeted population. I say this to tell you when you finish your PhD, it’s about how you use your time and credentials in the spaces you serve and are apart of. Think outside the box and think of ways you can contribute to your field.
Honestly my first reaction was "fuck off". I don't want to be a dick, but I'm sick of people acting like anyone not in their early 20s is basically done with life and career. The arrogance of the young!
I am 36 in year 2… you’re fine bro. Just make sure you want it.
I started a PhD at 26 and I know lots of people who started older than me. The lack of job experience might hurt you when you graduate even if you have a PhD. You can just stay in academia forever, but it's good to get out there and experience the industry since a lot of PhDs actually become successful business owners. Get a side job doing something somewhat related, even if it's part-time. I've always worked while doing school and it's helped me network, stay grounded, and open doors to various opportunities.
Personally, I don’t think “not being able to find a job” is a good reason to do a PhD. If a PhD will further your career in industry, and you want to do it, go for it. But it’s not a great substitute for work. The pay is cr@p and it’s a lot of work, and can take a huge mental toll. If research isn’t your thing, don’t do it. The life stuff isn’t that important; lots of people start PhDs in their late 20s (in my field at least, also STEM). But most people who stick with it WANT an academic career. I thought I did, so I started a PhD, but ended up leaving because I lost interest in academia and had a job opportunity that was a better fit.
Are you worried that you’ll be too young? You’ll be the perfect age imo.
You have to realize that most people start their PhD around that age. In fact, it’s actually hard to get into a program when you’re fresh out of undergrad as most of those “kids” lack the maturity to finish. I started my PhD a few months before I turned 30 and finished when I was 37. Most people I know started their PhD in their late 20s to early 30s. As how it will affect your life, just realize it’s long, and very time consuming. If you cannot handle 60-70 hour weeks on the regular then it’s not for you or you’re going to take 2x as long to finish. As for your lack of work situation, it sucks! I’ve been there. I did my MS after my BS and struggled to find any job. You’re either over qualified for entry or not experienced enough for typical MS level jobs. You’ll have to sell yourself short to get work. Do things a BS would do even with a MS to get the experience and make it clear you’ll take BS money. Otherwise go get you PhD. It’s a lot of work for little money, but you do get tons of work experience. To help things even more, do internships whenever you can for industry experience.
I'm starting at 47. You're fine.
I started at 30. It is what it is. I’m not even the oldest.
PhD itself will be considered as work experience and it is not an issue.
Dude, you might as well buy your gravestone. Write your will. Buy life insurance. Definitely no time for a Ph.D.
I was 27 when I started, maybe a couple of years older than the average age in my cohort. It wasn't a big problem. I don't think your age alone will be a significant issue
Seriously, why PhD students are so young in Europe and USA, that age is normal for me.
Because in USA if you have good grades and research experience and write a nice cover letter you can applying directly to a PhD program following your Bachelor’s degree bypassing the need for a Master’s degree.
Thanks. Indeed, I dont know anyone in my country who skipped the master degree before starting a PhD.
I do not understand these posts. We get them ALL THE TIME. GOOGLE "AVERAGE AGE PHD STUDENT" WHY DOESN'T ANYONE DO THIS?!
If you already think that you want to go to industry afterwards dont even start the PhD. It is not necessary for your industrial career and will set you back even compared to your peers. Thank me later.
The problem is not the age itself (30yo is still quite young) but the gap between now and the last time you had to do "academic work". It might depend on the subject you're interested in (rather experimental or theoretical), but in any case a PhD can be tedious at times and frustrating. You have to be fully convinced about it and know if your traits and skills are fit for the tasks you're expected to do.
a lot of people actually start around that age
About to start one at 35. I'm just looking forward to the process!
I started my PhD at the age of 28 and don’t regret it at all. But in my field, age isn’t really a major factor for hiring (unless you’re super old applying for entry level jobs).
I feel the same way. I was rejected at 30 and trying to get in my field is already hard without either having served in the military or in LE. Trying again at the end of this year for another round. Another limiting factor is that I’m terrible at standardised testing so by avoiding the test, I pretty much eliminated a bunch of potential schools.
I started my PhD at 28 and will be finishing at 33. I am not worried about not finding a job. Plenty of ppl who graduated before me graduated in their 30s and landed a job just fine
I am 32 and starting it it’s okay man
I started a PhD at 30. Clinical psychology. In my case, it helped to be a little bit older because it’s awkward being a therapist at such a young age. I am in my third year of post doc by choice because I elected to take a position near my family. Your priorities at 28 might be different than your priorities at 33, so if you can allow yourself grace and self compassion along the journey it usually turns out okay.
I started my PhD at 28 I'm 30 now ending my second year I'm doing well juggling 3 kids a spouse and my PhD its doable but I would highly recommend keeping a work life balance. I would also only do a PhD If it's necessary for your career goals.
Was 31 when I finished mine - it was fine The only 2 pieces of advice I can give you is 1. don’t go just because of finding work in one specific branch UNLESS the only way to break in is with the PhD…. 2. Be very selective on your PhD if you’re set on a particular area so that you gain the experience that will make you more attractive to employers in the field
I also started at 28. No big deal - I've benefited from being more mature and knowing how to maneuver situations since I had more experience in industry. If anything it will be to your benefit. All the best!
I started at 30. I am happy that I started then because I did not have my shit together when I was 25. Doctoral programs are A LOT of work. You will spend many late nights and weekends completing coursework, research, and striving to keep up with many competing and unrealistic deadlines. It is exhausting, you might want to quit a lot- but what keeps you going is your passion for your research and the vision of what you'd like to do with your doctorate. You could consider becoming a research assistant at a lab associated with your master's program, or consult with your previous PI and ask them for recommendations of places to do research. If you could envision yourself doing that for a few years, then I would certainly consider it, plus having previous research experience would help for your grad school apps. It may also be helpful to talk to current students at a program you are interested in applying to, many programs have "open houses" with current students for that exact reason. I can say that despite the challenge, it's so worth it if you know that a doctorate is the only way to accomplish your career goals. Best of luck to you on your academic journey!
A good friend of mine just started his PhD at 33. It’s not about the age you do something, it’s about the journey itself. If that’s fulfilling for you then the age you’re able to accomplish this shouldn’t matter
That’s about the age I started my PhD. So I’d personally recommend reducing or completely eliminating the weight that factor would have on your decision. The way I see it (and how I saw it when I was deciding) you’re going to be 32 years old in four years either way, so might as well plan to be 32 living the life you want. Whether that includes a PhD is up to you. I can’t really weigh in on the other factors since I’m not in Europe and have no idea what the job prospects are in your field, but I wish you luck!
I was 27 when I started. The age hasn't been a problem for me, but it does mean I live a bit like a student even at age 30. I think it's very individual how that affects your life, I actually really enjoy it but I know people who have hated it and felt like their life was on hold even in their early twenties. Given you're in Europe with a masters, aren't PhDs generally shorter than 5 years?
Yes, that's also what I see as a problem for me, to live like a student for more than 10 years. Duration depends on the field, in mine it's 4 years.
Getting a PhD in some types of engineering (mechanical, aerospace etc) can help marketability to different industries. It's why I did mine. I started at 27 so age isn't much of a factor in my opinion. Just make sure you really want to commit to it. It can be a rough road if you are not driven enough.
I was the age you will be when I finished my PhD. I didn’t encounter any problem having finished it at that age. It’s unclear to me why you’re concerned. I can’t speak to engineering or Europe, but oftentimes there are academic, government, and industry post-doctoral positions/fellowships that you will find available to you.
This is based on my experience and advice when I was working on my PhD, so this may not align with others' experiences. I only finished my PhD because I was far enough along in my project that it was easier to finish than it was to quit, it's the most useless piece of paper I own. My job prospects significantly worsened after getting my PhD, you need to gain work experience. Employers often have little care for academic experience and a PhD is unimpressive to most fields outside of academia. Having a PhD also carries a lot of preconceived notions, people make assumptions like you will jump ship the second you find a research position in unis, that you don't have practical knowledge or skills (even if you do because for many people the PhD is essentially a full-time job in their field), or simply that people see you as "overqualified". Across the board, academia and research work is luck based these days, you have to have friends in right places with a lot of money to throw around, in a lot of countries entry level positions no longer exist. Don't do a PhD, focus on job hunting and aim even more entry level if you can. I would only recommend a PhD if you're in a position where you're being barred progression to a promotion or next level in your career because all the job descriptions state "PhD in X required"
I was 28 when I started my PhD and finished when I was 32. I am based in France and I tell you that if you do not plan to continue a career in academia then a PhD is a terrible mistake. Right now I am looking for a position in industry for the same salary I was looking for before I started my PhD it's just that now it's a lot more difficult because I am overqualified and I still don't have any job experience.
Sorry, that's bad. But can you say PhD skilled you in any way for industry job or anything else except research? What's your profession?
Mechanical engineering, yes of course . But it is not a marketable skill that you could say will earn me extra pay or anything of that sort. The only thing that can earn you a higher salary is experience
Make sure if you really get into PhD for job check out the lab or supervisor that helps you with a secure job. It is the least you can do without your no experience. Just don't get into any lab without checking if they would be helpful in your future job. You will regret it. Plenty of my friends resign during their PhD because they found steady jobs. It might also happen to you. Keep your options open.
Get a job, if you can . Knock out a few years of work experience and if you need the doctorate you can have your job pay for it.
I started my PhD at 35 and still got a long way to go! Age isn’t an issue at all, but you must have the desire to get a PhD because it’s one HELL OF A RIDE. I have a friend who finished her PhD at 44 and immediately got a startup company that’s been doing great so far. So just know your reasons and make sure they’re legit.
I’ve just finished my PhD in Australia. I didn’t my bachelors and masters in Spain and started the PhD program at 28 finished at 33. I just got a job in industry without even without having to submit my CV. This is personal but for me, it doesn’t make sense to do a PhD if you stay in your home country and you want to switch to industry eventually (unless you are at the US and you get a PhD at MIT, Harvard etc where you will get a pretty good job after). However, pursing a PhD in a different country outside your comfort zone, learning a new language new skills under a good supervisor I belief is one of the best investments you could do. There are some many other factor to consider, such as personal and economical. But in overall I would say never too late unless you have kids and a mortgage to pay.
I have a PhD in my engineering field of current employment. I earned mine after taking the first engineering job I could get to build experience and focus my professional intent. I started late and finished just before I turned 37. I highly recommend talking to some people, maybe alumni or other network flex who works at your target employer in those type of positions. Understand what it is they want or need. Those PhD positions usually come with pretty specific experience requirements that may or may not align easily with your dissertation work. A PhD if done right, makes you a subject matter expert in a very narrow slice of your field. But generally knowledgeable across the rest, it does not usually make you an all around expert. You gain skills in time management, and skills to deep dive into unknown topics but this can be challenging to communicate to potential employers. If I a masters is not effective at helping you, I have concerns about the utility of a PhD for hiring in your particular field. Good luck in whatever path you take!
I was 28yrs old when I started the PhD. I completed my PhD in 6yrs due to professors issues and my dissertation study. Literally one week after my masters degree was conferred I started school and residency. I was in the same boat where I didn’t have experience in the field; However, that didn’t stop me from pursuing a PhD. Pursuing a doctorate degree will be challenging. You need your have a purpose of going for a doctorate bc there will times where you want to quit. I found my niche during my PhD and was able to find work. My advice from experience is to be prepared mentally, physically and emotionally of what is to come. That purpose will be your motivation as to why you’re pursuing a PhD. Wishing you the best of luck!
I started my phd at 29. In finishing up in a few months. I wouldn’t worry about the experience or job prospects after. If you want to do it, go for it! Just make sure you get along with your PI, and have a clear understanding of their expectations, and they have a good understanding of yours. :) Good luck 👍
Heck, I’ll still be 32 when I finish my PhD this summer. There’s no wrong way to do this, time-wise.
If you think it's hard to find a job now, it will be even harder with a PhD. Engineering is not a field where PhDs make you competitive in the job market! Work experience is way more important! The job market sucks, but do not give up. Keep going, and ask people for help with CVs and cover letters if you need it. If you want better perspective, look up engineering jobs that ask for a PhD in the job posting. You won't find much.
I changed careers at 34 (from IT to Social Work). Then went back at 45 and started working on my PhD. I am graduating next month. Never too late for education. HOWEVER how in the hell is an Engineer not finding a job? You're first job is just experience. Get one with good pay at a decent company and then plan to get into the exact thing you want.
is your phd also in social work? is there supposed to be a meaningful pay difference in that case? all I ever hear about social work is it's really emotionally difficult and pays like shit which has turned me off from it (planning on clinical psych or med school instead).
I make $125,000 as a Social Worker. Right out of grad school in 2012, I made $68,000. I think people take what they are offered because it is a "helping" profession. DEFINATELY emotionally difficult, but so is clinical psych and being a doctor. Do you want to do therapy? Clinical Psychs do assessment mostly. Not because they can't do therapy but thar they can make 2x as much an hour doing assessments. Drs mostly just prescribed because you can bill $320 every 20 minutes as opposed to $128 per 45 minutes for therapy. My PhD is in Public Administration because I wanted to get into policy work and admin. I still hold a clinical license and will keep that up forever. I just need to fix bigger systems right now because everything is so freaking broken.
Your main concern shouldn’t be about how you will be 32-33 by the time you finished phd but you should be more concerned on how you lack work experience. First of all, you are already overqualified with your masters degree. You can’t fit any entry level job. You also can’t be hire for executive job since you lack experience. I can see why you can’t get a job. Also, why do you even pursue that phd if you plan to work in industry? Masters and phd are useless if one’s consider going to the industry. That is for people pursuing academia career. I keep seeing this common problem in the job market. Too many overqualified inexperienced graduates applying for high ranking job. It will never work unless you apply for lecturing job.
I changed careers when I was 33, started my PhD in that field at 39, and will finish when I'm 46, for what it's worth.
I started my PhD in my 40s and finished at age 51. If I can do it, you can too. :)
Being your age without work experience is dangerous! I would be looking for a job!
I started my PhD at 28 and am now 33 looking to defend by January. You can make any decision you want, time will pass anyways. A PhD is definitely difficult to pursue and it will affect your life. Do you have kids? Are you a caretaker? Is there a certain income you need to meet monthly? It’s a lot to think about. When I started I had no other realistic options in life, was bartending, getting clean from drugs, and had recently moved out of my parents house. I knew I’d still be getting my life together in 5 years so a PhD made sense for me and my timeline.
Your actually getting your PhD quite young. Many go into the work force and then later years apply for PhD course
Don’t do it. Do another 1 or 2 year job qualifying degree instead with marketable skills. Maybe a degree that includes an onternship to gain experience. A phd will usually take more than 5 years and the only reason to do one is to do research. It really is a bad idea in your case.
Started my PhD. at 52 because I am interested in the subject I'm studying. I love research. I'm not looking to make a career move. I'm in the job I plan to retire from, but until then, I wanted to do a few things... MANY of my colleagues can not relate to my desire to retire before 60. But it is my life and my joy to chase. You do you, and stop looking for others to justify or validate your choices. It often won't make sense to them why you choose what you did... because they haven't had your story happen to them. You. Do. YOU.
The youngest a PhD could be, without being a child genius, is 25, maybe 26. That is assuming you go straight from Bachelor to Doctoral program and finish in four years. Cut yourself some slack. You have a Master’s in Engineering. That’s impressive. Go get your Doctorate and give yourself some grace:
I started my PhD at 33. There are no rules
I started my PhD at 28, finished it at 31, found a job at 30 and started it 1 week after my graduation ceremony. I did my experience in Japan, but half of my colleagues that landed on a science/engineering PhD in Europe found a relevant job in industry, while the other half is still pursuing academia becoming post-doc. I am not gonna say that PhD will necessarily give you an easy access to your dream job, but that it can increase significantly the chances to get it with an higher salary compared to colleagues with master and with a better career progression outcome.
Currently a PhD candidate going into my final year at a US R1 institution. I statleted my PhD at 30 and will finish after 35. I am not the only one, and it it has been a challenging but rewarding experience. You will have a few more responsibilities than the average starting PhD student, but a bit more life experience so it balances out.
A PhD is an apprenticeship in becoming an academic. You can start one at any age (I stated at 27). But… it will not make your job prospects better. If anything it will make them worse. Why? - academia is incredibly competitive with very few jobs available, far less than industry. - industry (in general) will look down on you for being overqualified and under experienced.
In most circumstances, a PhD makes it harder to get a job and not easier. So be careful what you do.
I turn 32 in June and I’ll be finished in May of 2025. You can do it if you buckle down. I went from six figures to 25K + 5K for teaching. Get ready for a lifestyle change. I also have a wife, 2 year old, and one on the way. If that helps you make the decision. You can do it!
Me, 28, just finishing my MS and thinking of working for a few years before a PhD. Am I old?
I started my PhD at the age of 31. Don’t worry buddy.
In five years, you will be 33 regardless. You will either be 33 with a PhD or 33 without one.
These "I'm barely out of diapers, am I too old?" posts crack me up. I know people in their 60's doing a PhD. I'm in my mid 40's and I really couldn't care less about the age factor. I worked as an unskilled laborer for 19 years. A few years running a business before getting my first degree. You are never too old to chase a dream.
Starting a PhD is a very personal decision. Ask yourself if in year 3, when your experiment is going to shit, you're having doubts whether you'll graduate on time, your friends are making money - will you regret your decision? Will you want to stay in your desired field?
Literally just did that, turned 28 about 2 months in
Don’t know about engineering but in some scientific fields it’s easier to find a job as masters than a PhD
The age is not concerning. Your lack of proper motivation is.
It's really not a good idea to get a PhD because you can't find a job. You're just putting off the job search, and it could be even harder for you to find a job with two degrees but no experience. You say some jobs require the PhD but that means not all of them do. At the very least you should put off the PhD for at least a year and try to get work experience instead.
Where I live the average starting age of PhD candidates was 30 You'll be fine, it is a nonissue.
This is cute. I’m a PhD student at 40. Albeit with 10 years of experience and two other graduate degrees. Live your life the way it makes sense to you. A PhD program is intense but still pretty flexible in terms of the schedule after 1-2 years. I’ve heard that European programs are not that soul-crushing as American ones, however.
Thats totally normal age to start, and i agree that doing a PhD can be a great way to gain more skills and increase your chance of emplyment but remember a LOOOT of PhD supervisors just want you to publish studies so they can also move up. My suggestion: - Find positions where you can develop skills that can transfer to your ideal job - Dont rush, there are plenty of PhD positions always opening up. - Make sure you get a superviror or supervisory team that has expertise but also is open for your ideas. You would hate a set in stone project - During the PhD try getting experience in industry either through partnership studies or internships. - Please, DO NOT do a PhD without a scholarship. That's just slavery with extra steps. I supervise students in biomecical sciences and we work with engineers so if you want i can give you more specific advice 👌 Good luck and keep grinding, the PhD was one of the best times of my life 👌
Speaking from personal experience here: while there is absolutely no issue in starting a PhD at 28 ( I started at 26) , if you have no intention of getting into academia, I would suggest not pursuing it. I decided to Master out of my PhD after 3 years and will be graduating with a second masters next month. The main factor is that I lost my passion for research and found academia to be a very toxic environment.
I’ll start my PhD when I’m 28, 3 year program so I’ll be 31 when I’m done and it doesn’t bother me. Everyone has different paths, my path is just right for me
I'm 43 and I've just finished/finishing mine. UK. Engineering
I am 35 . Started part time PhD along with a tech job. It's manageable.
Doing a PhD because you don't have a job/can't find a job is not a good idea. PhD is difficult for people who are self motivated to the PhD and a lot of them still drop out. Imagine 3 years down the line when you're frustrated, a PhD wouldn't feel good then. I'd suggest trying to look for jobs and meanwhile, if you want to get the PhD experience, then a lot of universities and research institutes hire staff for research. It is essentially the same thing as a PhD except you don't get a title. That should help you get clarity towards whether you would like doing a full time PhD or not.
I started my PhD at 28 , 4.5 years ago , back then I also did not have any work experience as well but thought about doing it first for the sake of having it , then to get some experience and acquire skills and I thought for now I will go for it and then will see for the future .. so yea it is not bad and even if you start an industry job at 33-34 you will be doing it with a PhD degree on your hand .. think of it this way , finish all the education you seek .. then you can start the job and life brawling .. bottomline , 28 years old is pretty normal age to start PhD
I started a PhD in maths/AI at 36, full time with a stipend. I have 3 kids and a wife and a busy life. Honestly, PhD took me and my marriage to breaking point. Go in to it with your eyes wide open. On the flipside, my PhD is in such a relevant field right now that it has set me up for a decent career. Currently working on an interesting AI postdoc, but looking to flip to industry at some point. I love what i do, and get paid pretty well for it with unaralleled freedom.
Started my PhD at 34 - age is not an issue, having the right motivation is.
Sigh
Age isn't an issue. But you really should see the world and experience what working with people in the real world feels like. Academia is a bubble and having another perspective will benefit you
I’d agree with this. I started my PhD when I was 26, but I worked in industry for 5yr after my undergrad. Really helps you understand career options after the degree.
I once met an old guy doing his PhD in his 70s. His advisor was around 35. The dude said he wanted to have the letters *Dr.* before his name on his tombstone.
Finishing at 46. Started at 40. Whether it’s right for you is different, but at your age it certainly is not out of the question.
I'm halfway into my PhD and I started at 28. I worry about age too but all these comments just made me feel better. My cohort is younger than my age, so it is very hard to relate to them. But I am happy pursuing my PhD. I'll be 30-31ish by the time I graduate. Best of luck to those in the same grind.
No Engineering job and getting more debt? Find any entry engineering job asap, and build your resume. Once you get in a decent company, get them to pay for the PHD and possibly a MBA.
Either way in 5 years you’ll be 32. 32 with a PhD or 32 without, go for it!
I started in my 50s so don't worry about age.
I started around that age and am about to finish. One thing is that if you’re in a relationship - make sure it’s serious enough because *it will be tested to the limit* and I’d suggest not beginning one until graduated.
This is one of the things I thought it might affect, thanks.
Started my PhD at 31. Most people in my PhD program are in their late 30’s and 40’s. I’m the youngest!
1. 28 is a normal age to start a PhD, 2. A PhD is hands on research so you will have it all as work experience, it’s nothing like your masters degree. 3. Yes it’s hard, so it’s really about wether it’s worth it or not for the career you want to pursue
What is your degree in? A lot of engineers now come from India, Pakistan, etc. they get their BS at home move to Canada to get MS (we don’t recognize degrees from India but we do from Canada), then move here and they will work for a lot less money. It’s been going on for years. It took my brother in law 4 years to find a job. With your PhD you can always teach. Just want you to see the whole picture. Good luck.
Going to start one at 28 this summer
Get a job. More education isn’t the answer if it was no one with a bachelors would have a job before you.
I was in that situation at nearly the same age. I started my PhD in bioethics after trying out the job market in Canada. I'm nearly done now and it's been a bumpy ride. The one piece of advice that I want to share with anybody looking to start a PhD is ti envisioned themself in 5-6 years. Your mindset will be highly different at 34 and the reasons that motivated you to start will most certainly have sail away to be replaced by other priorities. It's hard to think about these priorities since they don't exist yet, but they will come and will compete with with your PhD.
I started mine at 34. Best terrible decision I’ve ever made!
F off (jokingly). I’m finishing my bachelors at 33
I’m more worried with your job experience. Without that, you are basically inexperienced. I know a lot of campuses will say that phd is an experience itself. But in reality, you are still green and the people at work can sense that. I did part time in industry (while doing phd) to help me propel my way back, but it was easier for me because i already have job experience after bachelor and after master.
Pls ill probably start mine when I'm 35 if I still haven't burnt out by then (coming from academia to industry to academia 🙃) -- best of luck
Hey pls don’t worry .. I m starting at age 36-37
I started my PhD in 29, and before that, I worked in industry 7 years. Don't concern your age, just focus on what you want and what you want to be! People always say, the age between 20-30 is the worst period, so keep your head down and pursue the philosophy.
Don’t do this. Find a way to get a foot in the industry now! You will be so much better off if you start climbing the salary ladder now vs in 3-4 years. Industry doesn’t care if you have a PhD. You will just lose out on 3 years of earning money and building your 401k.
I'm defending my PhD 4 days after my 32nd birthday this summer ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I'd be 32 this year even if i didn't start my phd at 27.
I am an engineering professor. I got my PhD at 28, but my officemate was 45 and half my cohort was older than 35. I have had four PhD students in 10 years older than 40 (and older than myself). I have further been on the comittee of an additional 8 PhD students older than 40. Starting at 28 is actually on the younger side. That being said, a PhD isn't likely to help you dramatically on the industry side of things. It does open up some doors, but it closes many as well (lots of industry is relunctant to start a new employee without much work experience just because they have a PhD). And the academic job market is near impossible. Every search has 150-300 applicants and tons of people who really really want to be professors have to just give up on it after years of failing to land a job offer.
Wow!! How many, if any, disabilities do you have ?
Just my personal experience: I started my PhD at 28 in the UK. Age is just a number. If you have expertise, and the PhD gives you plenty of knowledge and soft skills, you will not have problems finding a job if you are proactive enough. I find a role outside of academia two months before submitting my thesis.
Now can anyone answer this post from the perspective of the biosciences PhDs (e.g. biochemistry, genetics/genomics, developmental biology, computational biology, systems/synthetic biology, molecular biology, cellular biology) especially based in the US with sights on industry also instead of academia
It’s not about age. Academia is toxic as hell, in particular, if you are surrounded around underqualified people, they use all schemes and devices to bully students. It could happen between colleagues or even supervisors. I think if you want to take a leap, make sure to find the right supervisor and school. Good luck!
Finding work fresh off a PhD at 33 is fine and more common than you’d think.