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Employment outlook for engineering occupations to 2024

October 06, 2016

Employment of engineers is projected to grow 4.0 percent from 2014 to 2024, adding about 65,000 new jobs. Among engineering specialties, several are projected to grow even faster than the 4-percent growth for engineers or the 6.5-percent growth for all occupations: biomedical engineers (23.1 percent), environmental engineers (12.4 percent), and civil engineers (8.4 percent).

 

 

Median annual wages in 2015 and projected 2014–24 employment change for engineering occupations
           Occupation Projected employment
percent change, 2014–24
Median annual wage, 2015 Projected employment in 2024

Aerospace engineers

-2.3% $107,830 70,800

Agricultural engineers

4.4 75,090 3,000

Biomedical engineers

23.1 86,220 27,200

Chemical engineers

1.8 97,360 34,900

Civil engineers

8.4 82,220 305,000

Computer hardware engineers

3.1 111,730 80,100

Electrical engineers

1.0 93,010 180,200

Electronics engineers, except computer

-1.4 98,270 135,500

Environmental engineers

12.4 84,560 62,000

Health & safety engineers, except mining

6.2 84,600 26,800

Industrial engineers

0.9 83,470 243,200

Marine engineers and naval architects

8.9 93,110 9,000

Materials engineers

1.3 91,310 25,600

Mechanical engineers

5.3 83,590 292,100

Mining & geological engineers

6.4 94,040 8,800

Nuclear engineers

-4.0 102,950 16,200

Petroleum engineers

9.8 129,990 38,500

Engineers, all other

4.0 95,900 142,300

Three engineering occupations are projected to lose jobs from 2014 to 2024. Electronics engineers, except computer, are projected to lose about 1,900 jobs or 1.4 percent. Aerospace engineers are projected to lose about 1,600 jobs or 2.3 percent. Nuclear engineers are projected to lose about 700 jobs or 4.0 percent.

The median annual wage for engineers in 2015 was $90,060. Petroleum engineers had the highest median wage, $129,990. Agricultural engineers had the lowest median wage, $75,090.

For all types of engineers, a bachelor’s degree is the typical education needed to enter the occupation.

These data are from the Employment Projections program and the Occupational Employment Statistics program.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Employment outlook for engineering occupations to 2024 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2016/employment-outlook-for-engineering-occupations-to-2024.htm (visited March 28, 2024).

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