5 Highest Paid Engineering Jobs in 2017, See Types
6 min read
There are over 40 different types of engineering careers in 5 different sub disciplines. Learn more about the top engineering career paths, compare the highest paid engineering jobs, view salary ranges for each engineering career, and figure out which is best for you.
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| Highest Paid Engineering Jobs |
Some of the highest paying careers in the world are found in engineering. Engineering is widely considered as one of the most lucrative and in demand career choices, with multiple engineering disciplines and job types, as well as salaries that can exceed $100k per year once the engineer has some experience behind them. Engineers tend to earn in excess of the national average salary and this is expected by some reputable organizations to continue in the future. In fact, Engineering degrees make up 10 of the top 17 highest paid degrees at the time of writing.
To become an engineer, you will more than likely need a degree.
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The methodology used for gathering the list of careers in engineering was to utilize the US. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics data, combined with reports on salaries, unemployment, and career outlook from reputable sources, such as Universities, Forbes Magazine, US News & World Report, and reputable Engineering associations, such as the National Society of Professional Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Here are the current five (5) highest paid engineering careers available and how the future looks for each.
1. Petroleum Engineering
The median starting salary for petroleum engineers is $74,240, with the mid-career salary of $132,320, and with experienced petroleum engineers making around the $186,520 mark.
Industry groups anticipate many employees will retire in the next decade, just as the global demand for energy is increasing. The demand for petroleum engineers is expected to exceed the number of individuals trained to fill available positions increasing demand.
SEE ALSO: Nigeria Best Universities To Study Medicine & Surgery
Internationally and domestically this demand will advance the careers and the salaries of petroleum engineers. There are a number of degrees available for those interested in pursuing petroleum engineering including training online.
2. Electrical Engineering
Newly-graduated electrical engineers have a median starting salary of $57,330.
Many electrical engineering jobs are tied to designing, testing and supervising the manufacturing of electrical equipment, but some electrical engineering careers consist of designing electronics schematics for commercial and consumer use.
Job growth in these areas is expected to be around 6%, a rate lower than average, through the rest of the decade.
Mid-career salaries for electrical engineers are in the neighborhood of $89,180.
SEE ALSO: Top 20+ Highest Paying Jobs in Nigeria 2017
3. Computer Engineering
The median starting salary for a computer hardware engineer is $63,970.
This is a relatively new field of engineering and some sources say that there are not enough computer engineers to keep up with demand while other sources say that the job growth for computer engineers will be below the national average. As schools start producing more computer engineers, the job growth rate could potentially slow. A computer engineer can anticipate earning a mid-career salary of $101,000.
Most technological breakthroughs are coming in the area of software engineering and not computer hardware, so keep that in mind as well.
4. Aerospace Engineering
A new graduate with a degree in aerospace engineering can expect a starting salary in the range of $65,450. With cutbacks in space exploration the Department of Labor expects that the need for aerospace engineers will grow at 5% over the next few years, a slower pace than the average job market. A mid-career salary for an aerospace engineer is $103,720.
Aerospace Engineering Salary Estimates
5. Chemical Engineering
The median starting for chemical engineers is approx. $94,000.
Chemical engineers are typically employed in the areas of manufacturing and research. They work not only for chemical companies, but also work in the manufacturing of electronics, clothing, paper, medicine, and food to name just a few.
Chemical engineers can advance their careers from manufacturing plants to technical sales and company management. The market for chemical engineers is expected to be reasonably flat over the next few years. Job growth, however, in closely-related fields, such as biomedical engineering, is expected to be much faster than average job growth according to the US Department of Labor. A mid-career salary of $109,000 is the average.
Chemical Engineer Salary Estimates
SUMMARY
Engineers and other technical professionals weren't always seen as having the nation's coolest jobs. Many other professions have claimed that distinction over the past few decades, including investment bankers, airline pilots and surgeons. But those days have passed. Perhaps Steve Jobs and his legacy can take credit, but working in engineering, computer science and many other traditionally "nerdy" careers is the new rave.
"We're enjoying a true technology revolution, and techies who can lead that effort by creating and managing great software can write their own tickets," says Tony Lee, publisher of CareerCast.com. “Software engineers are the rock stars of today's working world, and even computer systems analysts and web developers can claim some of that recognition, since the demand for IT pros is so deep.”
In fact, Software Engineers have the nation's overall best job, according to the CareerCast.com Jobs Rated report. Their pay is great, hiring demand for their skills is through the roof, and working conditions have never been better.
"The problem is that we are not producing enough computer science graduates to meet the growing global demand," says Michael Buryk, Business Development Manager at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). "Even electrical engineers, especially those who work as power engineers, are in short supply, especially given the growth in the fields of alternative energy and Smart Grid."
Petroleum engineering is another field with tremendous career opportunities, as the world's energy needs and new oil and gas exploration require the skill set that only an engineer can deliver. And that demand spans the globe, from central Pennsylvania to Saudi Arabia to Malaysia.
While the number of new computer science graduates from the nation’s colleges remained steady in recent years, overall the number of bachelor’s, masters and doctorate degrees awarded in engineering fields has steadily increased. According to the National Science Foundation, the number of engineering undergraduate degrees awarded annually in the U.S. reached 500,000 in 2009, along with 134,000 graduate degrees and 41,000 doctorates. But even this growing supply of new graduates cannot keep up with demand.
"There is currently a dearth of quality applicants in many technical fields, in addition to computer science," says Lee. "Corporate recruiters are scouring the nation's universities in search of smart engineering and IT students, and they simply can't find enough to fulfill their hiring needs. And that typically translates into those jobs being highly ranked in our report."
The Jobs Rated report measures a range of criteria to determine the top-ranked jobs, including the work environment, current hiring demand, average compensation, stress levels, the long-term career outlook and the physical effort required on the job. When measured together, they provide a clear picture of those jobs that rank higher than others in the field.
To become an engineer, you will more than likely need a degree.
SEE ALSO: How To Study In India Procedures and Requirements
The methodology used for gathering the list of careers in engineering was to utilize the US. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics data, combined with reports on salaries, unemployment, and career outlook from reputable sources, such as Universities, Forbes Magazine, US News & World Report, and reputable Engineering associations, such as the National Society of Professional Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Here are the current five (5) highest paid engineering careers available and how the future looks for each.
1. Petroleum Engineering
The median starting salary for petroleum engineers is $74,240, with the mid-career salary of $132,320, and with experienced petroleum engineers making around the $186,520 mark.
Industry groups anticipate many employees will retire in the next decade, just as the global demand for energy is increasing. The demand for petroleum engineers is expected to exceed the number of individuals trained to fill available positions increasing demand.
SEE ALSO: Nigeria Best Universities To Study Medicine & Surgery
Internationally and domestically this demand will advance the careers and the salaries of petroleum engineers. There are a number of degrees available for those interested in pursuing petroleum engineering including training online.
2. Electrical Engineering
Newly-graduated electrical engineers have a median starting salary of $57,330.
Many electrical engineering jobs are tied to designing, testing and supervising the manufacturing of electrical equipment, but some electrical engineering careers consist of designing electronics schematics for commercial and consumer use.
Job growth in these areas is expected to be around 6%, a rate lower than average, through the rest of the decade.
Mid-career salaries for electrical engineers are in the neighborhood of $89,180.
SEE ALSO: Top 20+ Highest Paying Jobs in Nigeria 2017
3. Computer Engineering
The median starting salary for a computer hardware engineer is $63,970.
This is a relatively new field of engineering and some sources say that there are not enough computer engineers to keep up with demand while other sources say that the job growth for computer engineers will be below the national average. As schools start producing more computer engineers, the job growth rate could potentially slow. A computer engineer can anticipate earning a mid-career salary of $101,000.
Most technological breakthroughs are coming in the area of software engineering and not computer hardware, so keep that in mind as well.
4. Aerospace Engineering
A new graduate with a degree in aerospace engineering can expect a starting salary in the range of $65,450. With cutbacks in space exploration the Department of Labor expects that the need for aerospace engineers will grow at 5% over the next few years, a slower pace than the average job market. A mid-career salary for an aerospace engineer is $103,720.
Aerospace Engineering Salary Estimates
- Starting Salary: $65,450
- Mid-career salary: $103,720
5. Chemical Engineering
The median starting for chemical engineers is approx. $94,000.
Chemical engineers are typically employed in the areas of manufacturing and research. They work not only for chemical companies, but also work in the manufacturing of electronics, clothing, paper, medicine, and food to name just a few.
Chemical engineers can advance their careers from manufacturing plants to technical sales and company management. The market for chemical engineers is expected to be reasonably flat over the next few years. Job growth, however, in closely-related fields, such as biomedical engineering, is expected to be much faster than average job growth according to the US Department of Labor. A mid-career salary of $109,000 is the average.
Chemical Engineer Salary Estimates
- Starting Salary: $58,830
- Mid-career salary: $154,840
SUMMARY
Engineers and other technical professionals weren't always seen as having the nation's coolest jobs. Many other professions have claimed that distinction over the past few decades, including investment bankers, airline pilots and surgeons. But those days have passed. Perhaps Steve Jobs and his legacy can take credit, but working in engineering, computer science and many other traditionally "nerdy" careers is the new rave.
"We're enjoying a true technology revolution, and techies who can lead that effort by creating and managing great software can write their own tickets," says Tony Lee, publisher of CareerCast.com. “Software engineers are the rock stars of today's working world, and even computer systems analysts and web developers can claim some of that recognition, since the demand for IT pros is so deep.”
In fact, Software Engineers have the nation's overall best job, according to the CareerCast.com Jobs Rated report. Their pay is great, hiring demand for their skills is through the roof, and working conditions have never been better.
"The problem is that we are not producing enough computer science graduates to meet the growing global demand," says Michael Buryk, Business Development Manager at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). "Even electrical engineers, especially those who work as power engineers, are in short supply, especially given the growth in the fields of alternative energy and Smart Grid."
Petroleum engineering is another field with tremendous career opportunities, as the world's energy needs and new oil and gas exploration require the skill set that only an engineer can deliver. And that demand spans the globe, from central Pennsylvania to Saudi Arabia to Malaysia.
While the number of new computer science graduates from the nation’s colleges remained steady in recent years, overall the number of bachelor’s, masters and doctorate degrees awarded in engineering fields has steadily increased. According to the National Science Foundation, the number of engineering undergraduate degrees awarded annually in the U.S. reached 500,000 in 2009, along with 134,000 graduate degrees and 41,000 doctorates. But even this growing supply of new graduates cannot keep up with demand.
"There is currently a dearth of quality applicants in many technical fields, in addition to computer science," says Lee. "Corporate recruiters are scouring the nation's universities in search of smart engineering and IT students, and they simply can't find enough to fulfill their hiring needs. And that typically translates into those jobs being highly ranked in our report."
The Jobs Rated report measures a range of criteria to determine the top-ranked jobs, including the work environment, current hiring demand, average compensation, stress levels, the long-term career outlook and the physical effort required on the job. When measured together, they provide a clear picture of those jobs that rank higher than others in the field.
My Education Team.
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