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Field of degree: Engineering

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Engineering field of degree. Employment: 5,157,500. Median annual wage: $97,000.

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Table 1. Engineering degree, 2021
Data	Engineering	All fields
Employment	5,157,500	59,687,450
Median wage	97,000	63,000
Percent employed part time	8	14
Percent employed in occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree	73	62
Percent with an advanced degree	42	38
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.

Chart 1. Types of engineering majors, 2021.

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Chart 1. Types of engineering, 2021
Engineering majors	Major share
Electrical Engineering	22%
Mechanical Engineering	20
General Engineering	13
Civil Engineering	11
Computer Engineering	10
Other	25
Note: The sum of percents by major may not total 100 due to rounding. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.

Chart 2. Employment distribution of workers with an engineering degree, by occupational group, 2021.

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Chart 2. Employment distribution of workers with an engineering degree, by occupational group, 2021
Occupational group	Occupational group share
Architecture and engineering occupations	30%
Management occupations	19
Computer and mathematical occupations	15
Business and financial operations occupations	7
Sales and related occupations	5
Other	24
Note: The sum of percents by major may not total 100 due to rounding. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.

Table 2. Top-employing occupations for workers with an engineering degree.

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Table 2. Top-employing occupations for workers with an engineering degree
Occupational Outlook Handbook profile	Percent growth, projected 2022–32	Typical entry-level education	Percent degree holders in this field, this occupation, 2021	Percent of this occupation with an advanced degree, 2021
Software developers	26%	Bachelor's degree	9%	32%
Industrial engineers	12	Bachelor's degree	2	21
Mechanical engineers	10	Bachelor's degree	4	23
Civil engineers	5	Bachelor's degree	6	29
Architectural and engineering managers	4	Bachelor's degree	2	35
Electrical engineers	4	Bachelor's degree	3	32
Postsecondary teachers, all other	4	Doctoral or professional degree	2	72
Engineers, all other	3	Bachelor's degree	8	32
Managers, all other	3	Bachelor's degree	6	21
Chief executives	-8	Bachelor's degree	2	32
Note: Occupational profiles may comprise multiple SOC occupations, which may have differing education categories. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (projected growth, entry-level education) and U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (degree holders, advanced degrees).

Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Field of degree: Engineering,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/field-of-degree/engineering/engineering-field-of-degree.htm (visited April 23, 2024).

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, September 6, 2023