Engineering is a career that’s worth looking into. It pays well, there are plenty of different types of engineering to fit your preferences, and it’s an excellent career path to go after. If you’re considering the field, this list of the highest paid jobs in engineering might help you narrow in on just what type of engineer you want to be.
Whether you’re looking to design houses or are looking into starting a product design service, engineering has a place. In fact, there are even plenty of freelance engineers who make a living while working at home.
With that said, here are the current ten highest paid engineering careers, their salaries, the best schools offering them, and how each of the engineering programs looks.
Expected Average Salary: $50,000 – $100,000
Civil engineering is often seen as one of the most diverse specialized occupations around. It involves the application of knowledge in physical sciences and mathematics to the design and construction of buildings, bridges, canals, roads, dams, airport, railways, and much more. It involves a vast knowledge of physics and mathematics. Civil engineering freelancers also build structures that are environmentally friendly.
What do you need to do to get a civil engineering degree? Although not like every other discipline, civil engineering is usually for those who really enjoy the practical aspect of mathematics and physics. This is because of the close ties that exist between civil engineering and industries. After years of study, you will get a bachelor’s degree, which is considered the minimum degree. Then, you would be required to complete professional exams to obtain certification.
Civil engineers can find several job openings within their profession, such as structural engineer, geotechnical engineer, project manager, construction engineer, and road engineer. These professionals can generally work across various economic sectors.
Many schools claim to offer the best civil engineering course, but based on research and for this article, we will consider schools that have suitable structures and amenities to facilitate the studying of engineering. Such schools are the University of California, Georgia Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and the University of Illinois.
Expected Average Salary: $62,000 – $110,000
The origin of this discipline comes from biology and medicine. As the title suggests, biomedical engineering involves the application of engineering principles to medicine and biology for treating various challenges in the health industry. It involves the management of medical equipment in hospitals like MRI, X-ray machines, and the EKG/ECG.
Primarily, biomedical engineers use computer simulations to test new drugs and software to run medical equipment. Furthermore, in the US, more than 20,000 biomedical engineers are employed.
The career opportunities or specialties that a biomedical engineer can get include clinical engineering, medical imaging, systems physiology, tissue, cellular, and genetic engineering.
John Hopkins University, Duke University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford University are some of the best schools offering the course.
Expected Average Salary: $62,198 – $118,000
Mechanical engineering is one of the hottest disciplines right now, and it is one of the broad subjects using the knowledge of physics, mathematics, and material science to design, analyze, manufacture, and maintain mechanical systems and procedures. There are different fields for freelance mechanical engineering based on its vast nature.
Mechanical engineers cover areas such as the design and analysis of manufacturing plants, heating and cooling systems, automobile, aircraft, and robotics. They analyze problems to find a solution through mechanical and thermal devices.
Jobs directly related to this field include mechanical engineer, CAD technician, aerospace engineer, and maintenance engineer.
Some of the best institutions to study mechanical engineering are Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California, and California Institute of Technology.
Expected Average Salary: $63,970
This field of study cuts across computer science and electronic engineering and involves the development of computer hardware and software. It is about designing, implementing, and managing information using both software and hardware.
Computer engineering is divided into computer software engineering and computer hardware engineering. Computer engineers are skilled in programming and troubleshooting, and they also design microcontrollers, microprocessors, integrated circuits, and circuit boards. Computer engineers work to protect information like digital image and music copyright infringement through coding and cryptography.
A computer engineer can consider jobs such as web developer, computer systems analyst, industrial engineer, and computer network architect, to name a few.
Notable schools which provide good education in this discipline are Columbia University, United States Naval Academy, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ohio University, University of Illinois, and Iowa State University.
Expected Average Salary: $65,450
Aerospace engineering is a field which deals with the development of airplanes and spaceships. Sound knowledge of chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science are essential when you want to study for this degree.
It cuts across aeronautical and astronomical engineering and involves the designing, developing, and testing of spaceships, aircraft, and missiles. Knowledge of fluid dynamics, especially aerodynamics, is vital in the discipline. An aerospace engineer can work as a drafter, aerospace technician, spacecraft designer, aerospace engineer, and more.
Some of the best schools offering the course include Virginia Tech, Florida Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and California Institute of Technology.
Expected Average Salary: $57,330
Electrical power engineering is a subfield of electrical engineering that deals with the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. It also deals with electrical devices like the transformer, electric generator, and electric motors.
Power engineers are in charge of maintenance, repair, and operation of mechanical systems in buildings and industrial power plants. During project execution, power engineers work with other professionals like civil and mechanical engineers.
The professional body responsible for the development of freelance electrical engineers is the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE), and career paths for an electrical power engineer include roles such as electrical engineer and broadcast engineer.
The best schools to study electrical engineering include Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California, and the University of Michigan.
Expected Average Salary: $70,754
Marine engineering deals with the development, design, operation, and maintenance of watercraft propulsion and onboard systems. It includes creating power and propulsion plants, machinery, piping, automation, and control systems for marine vehicles.
Marine engineers are faced with the challenge of designing ships to accommodate being flexed or struck by waves many times over their lifespan.
Maritime universities teach and train marine engineers. Practical knowledge is highly valued by employers with the degree. Marine engineers can obtain jobs such as marine engineer, naval architect, marine technician, and ocean engineer.
Suitable places to study the course include Virginia Tech, University of New Orleans, University of New Hampshire, University of Alabama, Maine Maritime Academy, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, and the U.S. Navy.
Expected Average Salary: $58,830
Chemical engineering deals with the design, development, and production of chemical products. They are employed in areas like manufacturing research design and development. They also work in industries like paper making, drinks, oil and gas, plastics, and food.
They develop an economical way of using energy and material to achieve an optimal result. Chemical engineers can get jobs such as chemical engineer, mining engineer, quality control manager, analytical chemist, plus many more.
The prominent universities that offer chemical engineer programs include Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California, Princeton University, Yale University, and Georgia Institute of Technology.
Expected Average Salary: $66,400
Nuclear engineers develop systems, processes, and instruments for harnessing nuclear energy and radiation. It involves the development of nuclear power sources for ships and spacecraft.
Before you study nuclear engineering, you must be proficient in mathematics, biology, physics, and chemistry. During their studying and practical work, nuclear engineers acquire skills in communication, logical thinking, problem-solving, details, and analytics.
A nuclear engineer can get a job as a nuclear engineer, health and safety engineer, physicist, or astronomer, to name just a few.
Prominent schools to study nuclear engineering include Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, United States Military Academy, Pennsylvania State University, University of Illinois, and Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Expected Average Salary: $74,240
Petroleum engineering involves the use of engineering principles in the extraction of oil and gas from below the earth’s surface. They also find and design new and better ways of extracting oil from the old wells.
A petroleum engineer designs plants and equipment used for extracting oil and gas from onshore and offshore reserves. They drill and inject water and chemical gas to oil and gas fields to force out more oil and gas. They determine the best drilling method, design the drilling equipment, and implement the drilling plan.
Some jobs a petroleum engineer may obtain include reservoir engineer, drilling engineer, production engineer, and they can also work in conjunction with a geoscientist.
Some of the best schools offering the course include the University of Wyoming, Colorado School of Mines, Louisiana State University, Agricultural & Mechanical College, and Pennsylvania State University.
Conclusively, engineering remains one of the most lucrative courses in the entire world and offers excellent career paths. In other to choose which of these fields to go for, people are faced with the dilemma of which offers the best pay and more opportunity.
To become an engineer, you will need more than just a degree. You can contact and check out the schools we have mentioned in this article to get more information on starting your engineering career or program.
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