Engineering Employment Going Up 9%

Despite a recent downturn in the economy and job market, engineering employment remains strong in the majority of the United States. The engineering employment rate is expected to increase nearly nine percent by 2012 due to an increased demand for skilled engineers, managers, and staff.

Although money is not the main reason to become an engineer, it is a detail that is difficult to overlook. While compensation varies based on location and nature of employment, the median salaries for engineering related jobs was between $72.5K for health and safety engineers and $108K for petroleum engineers, according to the US Department of Labor. View the entire table of engineering salaries.

As technology changes and more companies run into problems, the need for qualified engineers is sure to follow. With so many types of engineering, employment options are varied. Some of the more common types include: architectural engineering, automotive engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, industrial engineering, software engineering, and structural engineering – and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, engineers held roughly 1.6 million jobs in 2008. The top five fields included (in order from most common): civil, mechanical, industrial, electrical, and electronics.

Over the next eight to ten years, biomedical engineering should experience the fastest growth. Along with this, the most jobs will become available in the area of civil engineering.

Overall, career opportunities in engineering are expected to grow which will lead to more people following this career path.