Best paying engineering jobs

The highest-paying occupations in engineering, ranked with median wage weighted heaviest.

How this ranking is scored

score = .70·pay + .10·growth + .10·employment + .10·openings

Each factor is scaled to the strongest occupation on this list, then weighted and summed. Weights differ by list type. Full methodology.

Wages — OEWS May 2025

Growth & openings — EP 2024–34

Rank by Overall score ·Pay ·Growth ·Openings

Compare · management·business and finance·technology

#

Occupation

MEDIAN PAY

P25–P75

Growth

Employed

Open/yr

Score

01

Computer Hardware Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2061

$161,740

+7.3%

76,660

4,700

100

02

Industrial Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2112

$102,440

+11.0%

365,740

25,200

92

03

Electrical Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2071

$120,630

+7.2%

198,750

11,700

85

04

Mechanical Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2141

$104,110

+9.1%

296,810

18,100

85

05

Aerospace Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2011

$134,960

+6.1%

67,710

4,500

84

06

Civil Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2051

$100,840

+5.0%

367,840

23,600

84

07

Electronics Engineers, Except Computer · Bachelor's degree · 17-2072

$130,220

+6.2%

96,900

5,700

83

08

Petroleum Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2171

$144,910

+1.3%

18,060

1,200

80

09

Engineers, All Other · Bachelor's degree · 17-2199

$122,930

+2.1%

154,070

9,300

78

10

Nuclear Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2161

$133,970

-1.1%

15,280

800

73

11

Chemical Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2041

$125,040

+2.6%

21,070

1,100

71

12

Materials Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2131

$112,860

+5.7%

22,770

1,500

69

13

Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors · Bachelor's degree · 17-2111

$115,160

+4.4%

21,450

1,500

68

14

Marine Engineers and Naval Architects · Bachelor's degree · 17-2121

$112,230

+5.8%

8,250

600

67

15

Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2031

$109,370

+5.2%

23,480

1,300

66

16

Architects, Except Landscape and Naval · Bachelor's degree · 17-1011

$99,280

+3.9%

106,770

7,800

65

17

Environmental Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2081

$107,110

+3.9%

38,340

3,000

65

18

Agricultural Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2021

$98,590

+5.9%

1,480

100

60

19

Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 17-2151

$106,220

+0.7%

6,080

400

58

20

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians · Associate's degree · 17-3021

$82,890

+8.1%

11,280

900

54

21

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists · Bachelor's degree · 17-1021

$81,390

+6.4%

14,260

1,000

52

22

Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians · Associate's degree · 17-3023

$78,190

+0.6%

95,130

8,400

50

23

Surveyors · Bachelor's degree · 17-1022

$75,440

+4.4%

50,830

3,900

49

24

Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other · Associate's degree · 17-3029

$78,350

+1.5%

59,930

5,700

49

25

Architectural and Civil Drafters · Associate's degree · 17-3011

$66,150

+4.1%

103,700

10,000

49

Showing top 25 of 36 scored occupations — show all 36show top 25

#

Occupation

MEDIAN PAY

Growth

Score

26

Landscape Architects · Bachelor's degree

$79,870

+3.5%

48

27

Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians · Associate's degree

$66,120

+1.7%

43

28

Calibration Technologists and Technicians · Associate's degree

$67,820

+4.7%

43

29

Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians · Associate's degree

$74,510

0.0%

43

30

Electrical and Electronics Drafters · Associate's degree

$76,870

-5.6%

43

31

Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians · Associate's degree

$64,950

+2.1%

42

32

Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians · Associate's degree

$73,900

+1.1%

42

33

Mechanical Drafters · Associate's degree

$71,550

-6.5%

41

34

Surveying and Mapping Technicians · High school diploma or equivalent

$54,240

+4.5%

40

35

Drafters, All Other · Associate's degree

$63,520

-6.9%

35

36

Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians · Associate's degree

$59,920

+1.2%

34

Fastest-growing engineering careers

01 Industrial Engineers +11.0%

02 Mechanical Engineers +9.1%

03 Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians +8.1%

04 Computer Hardware Engineers +7.3%

05 Electrical Engineers +7.2%

engineering careers without a four-year degree

01 Surveying and Mapping Technicians $54,240

Live jobs in engineering

No live openings yet

When the jobs.best ATS feed launches, verified engineering openings will appear here, each matched to its BLS occupation. Nothing here is placeholder.

No placeholder listings · nothing invented

About engineering careers

How many engineering careers are there?

Jobs.best ranks 36 engineering occupations with published wages, from OEWS May 2025.

What is the highest-paying engineering job?

Computer Hardware Engineers, with a national median of $161,740.

Can you enter engineering without a degree?

Yes — 1 of the ranked engineering occupations typically need no four-year degree, including Surveying and Mapping Technicians.