Careers in engineering offer some of the most promising opportunities in the American labor market. Consider the findings of the National Center for Education Statistics report “The Condition of Education 2018.”
It finds that the three most financially lucrative fields of study for bachelor’s degree recipients ages 25-to-29 – ergo, recent grads – are Electrical Engineering ($74,790); Mechanical Engineering ($71,860); and other Engineering disciplines ($65,480).
The perks of earning a degree in engineering do not end with salaries, either. The same report also found that some of the lowest unemployment rates among recent graduates were engineering students. Electrical Engineering was 3.3%, assorted other Engineering disciplines 2.3%, and Mechanical Engineering 1.9%.
Promising jobs numbers do not end with early-career engineers, either. Some of the highest-paying fields tracked in the annual CareerCast.com Jobs Rated report are in engineering, and virtually all engineering careers have positive growth outlook, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts.
Salary and job prospects are two of the categories CareerCast.com uses to grade and rank careers, so it should come as no surprise as the 10 Best Jobs in Engineering rank in the top 72 overall across all industries and titles evaluated for 2018.
Among those engineering jobs that pay particularly well, Petroleum Engineer at $132,280 is the ninth-highest paid career in the 2018 Jobs Rated report. Petroleum Engineer is one of four of the Best Jobs in Engineering that pay an annual median salary of more than $95,000, which also includes Aerospace Engineer ($113,030), Materials Scientist ($99,530) and Electrical Engineer ($97,970).
Employment prospects and competitive pay are appealing, certainly, but they are not the only qualities that define an attractive career. Paths in engineering can also mean making a positive difference on a community – and even the planet.
Civil Engineer is one of CareerCast.com’s Best Jobs in Engineering for 2018. This field offers opportunities to improve the infrastructure of a community, an increasingly pressing concern for millions of Americans.
Likewise, Environmental Engineers work to make a positive impact in a variety of ways, whether it be environmental protection; removal and recycling of waste products; decelerating climate change; and much more.
Engineering is such a vast industry, requiring work that might defy expectations. If you are a writer, for example, engineering might be the best destination for your career: Technical Writers are in high-demand at an 11% projected growth rate by 2026.
Engineering careers have much to offer. Consider these 10, ranked per their place in the 2018 CareerCast.com Jobs Rated report.
