Average Engineering Salaries
What is an engineering degree worth? Year after year, engineering jobs in the United
States and abroad are paid the highest average starting salary.
How Much Do Engineers Make?
Engineers get top pay. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in May 2024 engineers
had a median annual wage of $97,310, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $49,500.. The engineering field projects to have faster than average employment growth 2023
to 2033 with nearly 195,000 openings created each year. One thing is certain: engineers
will continue to play a major role in shaping the world of tomorrow.
So how much do different engineering careers pay? Review average engineer salaries by specific discipline or field:
Salaries by Engineering Industry
| Industry |
Mean Entry-level Salary
(Payscale) |
Mean Annual Salary
(BLS) |
Top 10 Percent
(BLS) |
Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) |
Industry Description |
| Aerospace Engineering |
$81,242 |
$142,060 |
$205,890 |
Aerospace Engineers OOH |
How to Become an Aerospace Engineer |
| Applied Geophysics |
$65,665 |
$88,708 (Payscale) |
$169,000 (Payscale) |
Mining and Geological Engineers OOH |
What is Applied Geophysics? |
| Biomedical Engineering |
$70,199 |
$116,890 |
$168,180 |
Biomedical Engineers OOH |
What is Biomedical Engineering? |
| Chemical Engineering |
$74,873 |
$129,980 |
$182,880 |
Chemical Engineers OOH |
What is Chemical Engineering? |
| Civil Engineering |
$65,501 |
$108,670 |
$163,220 |
Civil Engineers OOH |
What is Civil Engineering? |
Computer Engineering,
IT Engineer (Computer Hardware Engineers) |
$76,707 |
$162,670 |
$225,330 |
Computer Hardware Engineers OOH |
What is Computer Engineering? |
Computer Engineering,
IT Engineer (Software Developers) |
$70,115 |
$148,100 |
$214,670 |
Software Developers OOH |
What is Software Engineering? |
| Construction Management |
$66,384 |
$124,360 |
$189,440 |
Construction Managers OOH |
|
| Electrical Engineering |
$76,167 |
$125,100 |
$184,300 |
Electrical Engineers OOH |
What is Electrical Engineering? |
| Engineering Management |
$94,378 |
$181,540 |
$262,760 |
Engineering Managers OOH |
Master of Engineering vs Master of Science |
| Environmental Engineering |
$64,873 |
$112,910 |
$162,220 |
Environmental Engineers OOH |
What is Environmental Engineering? |
| Electrical Engineering Technology |
$52,359 |
$80,680 |
$115,700 |
Electrical Engineering Technologists OOH |
What is Electrical Engineering Technology? |
| Geological Engineering |
$85,000 (Glassdoor) |
$115,410 |
$169,990 |
Mining and Geological Engineers OOH |
What is Geological Engineering? |
| Geology |
$78,000 (Glassdoor) |
$115,410 |
$169,990 |
Mining and Geological Engineers OOH |
|
| Geospatial Engineering (Surveying) |
$65,000 (Glassdoor) |
$80,570 |
$125,590 |
Surveyors OOH |
What is Geospatial Engineering? |
| Geospatial Science and Technology |
$75,000 (Glassdoor) |
$86,690 |
$126,950 |
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists OOH |
|
Industrial Engineering,
Manufacturing Engineering |
$69,775 |
$80,715 (Payscale) |
$106,000 (Payscale) |
Industrial Engineers OOH |
Manufacturing Engineering vs Industrial Engineering |
| Materials Science and Engineering |
$76,175 |
$120,250 |
$175,720 |
Materials Engineers OOH |
What is Materials Science and Engineering? |
Mechanical Engineering
ME Salaries Details |
$73,055 |
$113,610 |
$164,340 |
Mechanical Engineers OOH |
What is Mechanical Engineering? |
| Mechanical Engineering Technology |
$64,620 |
$76,380 |
$106,050 |
Mechanical Engineering Technologists OOH |
Engineering vs Engineering Technology |
Mechatronics Engineering,
Robotics Engineering |
$85,774 |
$99,679 (Payscale) |
$139,000 (Payscale) |
|
|
| Mining Engineering |
$103,000 (Glassdoor) |
$115,410 |
$169,990 |
Mining and Geological Engineers OOH |
|
| Software Engineering |
$70,454 |
$148,100 |
$214,670 |
Software Developers OOH |
What is Software Engineering? |
-
Figures from Glassdoor accessed May 2026.
-
Figures from Payscale accessed May 2026.
-
Figures from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), dated May 2025.
|
Engineering salaries can vary widely based on factors other than the type of engineering field. Additional factors include job location, experience level, education, and the specific
industry or company. The bottom line: it is well worth the time and effort it takes
to become an engineer.
Advancing Your Engineering Career
Ready to start—or enhance—your career in engineering?
Additional Engineering Salary and Career Information
The occupations on the US News and World Report's Best Engineering Jobs list are diverse
and offer good salaries.
See the list.
Highest-Paying College Majors, 5 Years After Graduation
Engineering degrees took nine of the top 16 rankings for college majors with the highest
income five years after graduation, according to a recent New York Federal Reserve
study of full-time workers.
See the top 16 majors.
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook
"Overall employment in architecture and engineering occupations is projected to grow
faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033. About 195,000 openings
are projected each year, on average, in these occupations due to employment growth
and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently."
Read Outlook Handbook
Payscale College Salary Report
"It's no surprise that STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) majors are
the top college majors by salary, but that doesn't mean that we discourage students
from studying majors in the humanities, social sciences, education or arts. In fact,
some of those majors lead to high-paying careers as well—it just often takes a longer
time for those graduates to reach their prime earning potential."
Read full report
Hot Jobs for Engineering Graduate Degrees
"From US News and World Report, here are six engineering career paths that demonstrate
faster than average job growth rates and offer high-paying salaries."
See the list.
Types of Engineering Fields
