What level of college degree would you recommend someone attain if they are aspiring to become a mechanical engineer?

Theres no doubt that a Masters degree will benefit you and make you stand out to employers, but you don't necessarily need it to be hired and become a mechanical engineer.

I think what is really important to getting a job and becoming a mechanical engineer is doing summer internships or co-ops during college. It gives you insight into what a future as a mechanical engineer would be like, and if you do well the company will want to hire you when you graduate. And then maybe the company would even help you pay for a Masters down the line.

The decision to do a Masters right after undergrad or after a few years of working depends on a lot of factors that will become clearer once you're in your junior/senior year of college - what is your financial situation? After four years of studying, are you sure you want to spend another year or two in school? Is there a company that you'd love to work for, who could maybe help you pay for a Masters down the line, or rather is there a particular field within mechanical engineering that you'd really like to pursue right away in a Masters program?

Bottom line is though, you don't have to have a Masters to be hired or to become a good mechanical engineer, but of course it will only help you.

(Relevant: I got my Masters in mechanical engineering right after graduating from undergrad, and have worked as a mechanical engineer for five years and have been around lots of other mechanical engineers)

My opinion is, complete your bachelor's and get a job. Try to do some internships to try some different things and get a feel for what they are actually like. After a few years, you'll have a better understanding of what you want to do next, what type of higher level degree you want and any sort of concentration you desire.

That being said, there are many 5 year programs for a Bachelors and Masters that may also be a good option.

(Disclaimer: I'm not an engineer, but both my parents, my husband, and about half my friends are, so I've spent my life watching engineers make career choices.)

I recommend going straight for the master's, but only if during college you find a sub-field or topic that you want to understand better. A master's degree doesn't take much time (1-2 years) and it can significantly increase your qualifications and learning power as an engineer.

That said, if you finish college not knowing what in mechanical engineering is most interesting to you, try working for a few years and see if that helps you find a focus. You may discover that you want to go into a related field or engineering management, which changes what kind of degree will help you accomplish your goals.

Good luck!