Engineering has been called “design under constraint.” Engineers are required to create elegant solutions while working within various limitations, such as the laws of Nature, the desires of consumers, or local statutes. Every potential answer an engineer devises for a problem must be weighed against the realities of the physical world and other concerns such as public safety, a client’s requirements, regulations, available materials, and a finite budget. It takes creativity to get successfully from problem to solution, all while navigating a tangle of constraints.
Anyone can dream about the future, but the people who actually turn those dreams into reality will be engineers. Traversing the path from concept to practical creation requires an understanding of the relevant science and familiarity with current technologies but also the vision to see beyond the world as it is and create something new. This is the job of the engineer: to combine the knowledge and tools of today with dreams of tomorrow to create the world of the future.
The power of engineers to shape the future is clear. Consider such powerful handheld devices as the iPhone, or the coming generation of practical electric cars. Not long ago, each of these was no more than a dream, but today each is a reality thanks to the vision of engineers. We cannot say with certainty what our world will look like 10 or 20 or 30 years from now, but we do know that whatever new wonders appear, engineers will have played a major role in bringing them to life.
Engineers today work in diverse and diffuse teams, often across time zones and national borders. At the same time, the problems engineers are being called upon to solve have become larger and more complex: reconstructing habitats in the Florida Everglades; protecting the integrity and security of the nation’s electrical grid; moving the United States toward greater energy independence. The modern engineer must be able to synthesize a broad range of disciplinary knowledge while keeping the systemic nature of the problem within her view. As we take on the challenges facing us, it will be engineers and their creativity that design the world we want and turn ideas into reality.
Source: National Academy of Engineering
What is an engineering degree worth? Year after year, engineering jobs are paid the highest average starting salary. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) engineers have a median annual wage of $100,640 and the engineering field projects to have employment growth of 6 percent from 2020 to 2030—nearly 146,000 new jobs over the next decade.
One thing is certain: engineers will continue to play a major role in shaping the world of tomorrow. The bottom line: it is well worth the time and effort it takes to become an engineer. So how much do engineers make?
| Degree Program | Average Entry Level Salary | Median Annual Salary | Top 10 Percent Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineering | $71,000 | $126,880 | $176,280 |
| Architectural Engineering | $70,000 | $105,163 | $157,000 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $57,000 | $99,550 | $159,130 |
| Chemical Engineering | $67,000 | $106,260 | $171,400 |
| Civil Engineering | $51,000 | $89,940 | $138,690 |
| Computer Engineering | $70,000 | $132,360 | $208,200 |
| Computer Science | $74,000 | $103,238 | $144,000 |
| Electrical Engineering | $59,000 | $104,610 | $166,970 |
| Engineering Physics | Data Not Available | $142,850 | $219,760 |
| Environmental Engineering | $58,000 | $96,530 | $150,840 |
| Environmental Science | $43,000 | $76,480 | $130,770 |
| Industrial & Systems Engineering | $59,000 | $96,350 | $134,990 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $58,000 | $96,310 | $151,260 |
Average Entry Level Salary figures from zippia.com, accessed April 2024
Median Annual Salary and Top 10 Percent Salary figures from the United States Department of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, accessed April 2024
Median Annual Salary and Top 10 Percent Salary figures for Architectural Engineering and Computer Science from zippia.com, accessed April 2024
