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I’m a green card holder, so my Navy job options are limited to the rates shown in the picture. I scored a 99 on the PiCAT (still need to complete verification at MEPS), and I’m trying to decide which rate to choose.

My long-term goal is to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering while serving and eventually work as an electrical engineer after the Navy.

Right now, I’m mainly considering LS (Logistics Specialist), EM (Electrician’s Mate), and CE (Construction Electrician).

I know LS isn’t related to electrical engineering, but I’ve heard it generally offers better quality of life and potentially more time to work on college classes. On the other hand, EM and CE would give me hands-on electrical experience that could be valuable for both engineering and civilian careers.

My priorities are:

Quality of life while serving

Having enough time to complete a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering

Gaining experience that helps me become an electrical engineer

Strong civilian career options if I don’t finish the degree or it takes longer than expected

Another thing I’m trying to consider is how well these rates transfer to civilian jobs without a bachelor’s degree.

I’ve heard rates like CE, EM, GSE, UT, CM, and others in the technical field can lead directly to skilled trades, union apprenticeships, maintenance work, or other well-paying careers after the military.

I also want to add a couple things I’ve heard and want clarification on:

CE (Construction Electrician): I’ve heard this rate is often already filled, and sometimes people have to wait close to a year to get it. I’m also hearing mixed things that CEs don’t always do pure electrical work and may get pulled to help other Seabee rates like CM (Construction Mechanic) depending on the situation. How true is this in real deployments or battalions?

EM (Electrician’s Mate): I’ve read some Reddit posts saying EM quality of life can be rough, especially on ships some people even compared it to being treated similarly to Machinist’s Mate in terms of workload and hours. I’m trying to understand how accurate that is. Is EM really that demanding day-to-day, or does it depend heavily on the command/ship type?

If my Electrical Engineering degree doesn’t work out, which rates from this list still provide the best earning potential, job security, and career opportunities without needing a degree?

For those with experience in these rates, what would you recommend and why? Would you pick LS for more time to focus on school, or is CE, EM, or another technical rate still the better long-term move overall?

I’m mainly trying to set myself up for the best future possible either becoming an electrical engineer or building a strong civilian career directly from Navy experience.

LS or EM or CE which would set me up in the civilian while having good QOL in the navy?