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Engineering Salary Statistics

Engineers Get Top Pay

What is an engineering degree worth? Year after year, engineering tops the list of majors with the highest average starting salary. The bottom line: It is well worth the time and effort it takes to become an engineer. So how much do engineers make? Refer to the table below:

Industry	Median Salary	Top 10%
Biomedical Engineering	$84,670	$134,150
Civil and Environmental Engineering	$77,990	$119,620
Chemical Engineering	$92,390	$146,650
Electrical and Computer Engineering	$85,920	$131,660
Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences	$84,300	$136,800
Materials Science and Engineering	$84,550	$127,850
Mechanical Engineering	$79,320	$119,950

All figures are from the United States Department of Labor

NACE’s 2011 Summer Salary Survey

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), engineering majors earned four of the top-five spots on the list of top-paid majors for the Class of 2011.

Check out the results.

“What’s It Worth? The Economic Value of College Majors”

This 2011 report from Georgetown University analyzes earnings data on 171 different majors. The highest-paying group is engineering, with median earnings of $75,000. “There are some fields with virtually no unemployment such as geological and geophysical engineering, military technologies, pharmacology, and school student counseling. Majors such as social psychology, nuclear engineering, and educational administration and supervision have the highest unemployment rates.”

Forbes Magazine—Engineering is the top-paying entry-level job

“If you've trained for a career in engineering, you stand to be well-compensated right out of the gate. The median starting salary for applicants with a bachelor's in this field is $53,400. It is the top-paying field on our list. Engineering careers offer a range of more than 25 specific fields that include environmental engineering, which deals with the prevention and control of environmental health hazards, and civic engineering, which designs city building structures, road systems and facilities. Many engineers are now also involved in the business of going green, an area of the job market that is on the rise. The BLS says that while job openings are expected to grow at a national average of 11% over the next decade, engineering prospects will be excellent in certain specialties, specifically biomedical engineering, which should experience a 72% growth in the same time period.”

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-11

Check out this web page about jobs and careers for engineers: “Employment is projected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations, although growth will vary by specialty; overall job opportunities for engineers are expected to be good. A bachelor's degree in engineering is required for most entry-level jobs, but some research positions may require a graduate degree. Starting salaries are among the highest of all college graduates.”

PayScale College Salary Report 2011-2012

“Have you ever considered a degree in engineering? If you are determined to find a job that pays top dollar, you'd be wise to study math and science. Lucrative careers exist for the history, English and foreign language majors out there, too, but they're harder to find. See our list of undergraduate degrees by salary.”