Engineering pays off, literally
Posted on 3/16/2010
While students in some fields worry about finding jobs after college, engineering salaries are among the best out there for recent graduates.
According to a survey published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, engineering salaries comprise eight of the top 10 best-paying majors. Petroleum engineers top the list, making an average of more than $86,000. Computer science and information science majors are the two non-engineering subjects that also made the cut.
The reason for the high salaries may be the dearth of students who choose to major in difficult fields like engineering, NACE executive director Marilyn Mackes said.
"New graduates with degrees in the technical fields tend to benefit from their relatively low supply," she added. Petroleum engineers, while the best-paid graduates in the country, comprise only 1 percent of all bachelor's degrees conferred.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the engineering field as a whole will grow 11 percent from 2008-2018, but particular specialties will grow much faster. For example, biomedical engineering will leap 72 percent in that same timeframe. Environmental engineers also look to be in a good position: the sector is projected to grow 31 percent by 2018.
According to a survey published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, engineering salaries comprise eight of the top 10 best-paying majors. Petroleum engineers top the list, making an average of more than $86,000. Computer science and information science majors are the two non-engineering subjects that also made the cut.
The reason for the high salaries may be the dearth of students who choose to major in difficult fields like engineering, NACE executive director Marilyn Mackes said.
"New graduates with degrees in the technical fields tend to benefit from their relatively low supply," she added. Petroleum engineers, while the best-paid graduates in the country, comprise only 1 percent of all bachelor's degrees conferred.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the engineering field as a whole will grow 11 percent from 2008-2018, but particular specialties will grow much faster. For example, biomedical engineering will leap 72 percent in that same timeframe. Environmental engineers also look to be in a good position: the sector is projected to grow 31 percent by 2018.
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