Thank you very much everyone! Just to clarify, I don't think I could ever become an Engineer; it's more of a backup plan to me. I'm fortunate now to have enough to finish through my CFI-I saved up, so hopefully I will have enough saved to pay for my Multi and ATP in the next years. I honestly love flying, but an extremely concerned about the pay and being away from family.

I know a couple of posts mentioned being away from family, but do your children/spouse like the circumstances, so to speak? What about the travel benefits, etc.?

I personally feel it is important for people to know that there is no reason in the world what-so-ever you can't do everything you want to do. You can be a pilot and be a lawyer or engineer. Either at separate times or simultaneously. Don't get caught up in the notion that it is one or the other because it just doesn't have to be. Lot's of pilots have other careers, myself included. Maybe you can find a unique way to combine your talents and become an expert in something particular with the combined skills.

Second, you absolutely made the right decision getting your degree in something other than aviation, something with teeth in the real world. You never know when you are going to be laid off, company folds, get tired of flying, lose your medical, lose your license.

Third you are going to have to pay your dues in flying. Paying your dues means something different in every industry but in this industry it can mean low pay for quite a few years.

My advice would be to get a job with your new degree in two years and pay your way through flying at a local school, do not go into debt. If you can, put of marriage and kids for a few years. At every stage of your flying progression re-evaluate your wants and desires. You are too young to know exactly what you want, that changes over the years.

In summary, don't think of a flying job as a destination, life is a journey, no reason to lock in on anything, do it all, enjoy everything.

You're a girl, you'll spend very little time at a regional. That being said flying sucks, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Good luck in your decision.

With your engineering degree you are well positioned for the military. Check the posts on the mil blogs regarding the ANG or regular service.

It's your life. Flying is the only thing I have wanted to do since I was 11 years old. I accepted a long time ago there will be up's and lots downs in my career and I accept my life wont be glamorous, things of missing milestones in life, a divorce potentially, not coming home everyday. But it's my life dream to fly, and I love it. Do what you think will bring you the most fulfilling life. If you want a life on the road, living from a suitcase, fly, if you want to go home everyday, go to law school or be an engineer.

My uncle is an engineer he works early/late all the time; and travels regularly. There are really two types, some are managers at large company's with the technical background, others work at firms and actually crunch numbers both are 50+ hour week jobs. I wouldn't plan on picking the kids up at 3:30 every day unless you become a civil engineer, and work for an airport contractor or government/municipality which also comes with below average paycheck.

Aviation jobs can be the best mom jobs, plenty of corporate jobs only work the pilot 2-3 days a week with little overnight and weekend work.

Major airlines have epic maternity leave.

In the end its all about perspective. I would encourage my daughter to become an airline pilot over typical pink color jobs such as nurse, dental hygienist, paralegal, accountant, office manager, if she enjoyed flying. Probably not if she was looking at lawyer or engineer, those sights are pretty high, and if achieved will yield top career earnings with a more typical home life.

Aviation provides more than just being a pilot as a career. If you have intentions of just being a pilot, chances are around age 28 those intentions will change, or at least you may start finding other things that interest you.

If I could do it all again, I'd still go the same route. I took on many other responsibilities (training dept, etc) which helped me find different interests within aviation. I had many opportunities to refine my knowledge and abilities and help others achieve their goals in aviation. To me, this is my calling. You may find out that you really enjoy flying (which I still do), but you enjoy different aspects of it as well.

Keep an open mind in aviation. You can put a plan together for your career, but destiny might have other ideas. You have the ability to plan ahead, and I feel you're doing a good job asking questions about it. In the end, it all has to do with what you feel is best for you. But when you make decisions, always remember the final goal you've established, and if that goal doesn't happen in your time, don't get frustrated. Everyone has a different time-line for things to happen to them. Just stay positive. Things come in due time.

Go Air Guard. Selfridge and Ft Wayne are near DTW and are flying the best airplane ever built. Some guard guys will never see the regionals and the low pay associated with them, but instead get full-time guard jobs until the majors call.

engineering doesn't have to be boring 9-5, my uncle traveled all around the world working as an engineer for MD, later Boeing. I know several that are doing the same right now. The top aerospace and aviation companies realize that 9-5 doing the same thing burns you out. They move around their workforces and allow you to work on many different projects.

I wouldn't tell you to go down a path set by your family just because they say so...and I definitely wouldn't tell you to follow someone else's dream, you'll just end up bitter, or worse.

I spent 3 years at a regional airline, called it quits after a downgrade, and found another opportunity to make up for my lost income. I've been out for 6 years now. I've now watched several friends move on from the regionals to the majors (after nearly a decade in the regional flying biz). Some male, some female, but all paid their dues and some are reaping the rewards (American, United, Delta, Jet Blue, etc). It's a good time to be in the business....The stability of aviation is a bit hit and miss, if you get in at the right time, you'll have a lucrative career without major setbacks, but you have to be prepared that you may not be in at the right time. I viewed it as a gamble, stay out of aviation and making $xxx,xxx or go back into aviation and potentially make $xxx,xxx. I'm lucky to be in a very stable industry that is unlikely to furlough me, displace me, or downgrade me. The pay I've earned is pretty solid, and the retirement benefits are decent...aviation could definitely top that if the career turns out perfect...but there's an if.

Another piece - I rarely traveled when I was in the airlines. Sadly it was because I had no interest in sitting in an airport or fighting for a seat to wherever I was trying to go (airport reserve and standby deadheads do that to you). I've traveled numerous times CONUS and OCONUS for my current employer, and each trip is more memorable than any I had as an airline passenger on a standby status.

In addition, the biggest smile I got while I was still at the airlines was going to a small airport and watching a light plane do touch and goes.

It takes me to the old parable:

"The guy in a cub is looking up at the Cessna 421 saying - boy do I wish I was him. The guy in the 421 is looking up at the Regional Jet and saying - boy do I wish I was him. The guy in the RJ is looking up at the 747 and saying - boy do I wish I was him. The guy in the 747 is looking down towards the cub and saying - boy do I wish I was him."