10 Highest Paying Engineering Jobs

10 Highest Paying Engineering Jobs

June 20, 2024

Category: Careers, Best Paid Jobs

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We used the latest data and insights to identify the Highest Paying Engineering Jobs, so you can learn and earn more.

We have hand-picked these jobs from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and other top sites to match your requirements.

The most popular engineering professionals in the US include materials engineers and petroleum engineers, among others.

Our article compares these highest-paid engineering jobs to help you choose a career path for yourself.

Here are the highest-paying engineering jobs for you.

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Table of Contents

#10. Mechanical Engineer

How much do they get paid?

Source: Payscale
Low Range: $57,000 per year
High Range: $101,000 per year
Median Pay: $73,104 per year

Highest Paying Engineering Jobs : Credits: Pexels — Credits: Pexels

What do they do?

Mechanical engineers design and build machines that move or hold things—like the arm on a robot or the pistons in an engine.

What degrees and skills are usually required?

Most companies require you to have at least a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering to apply for a job. Some additional skills that will make you more competitive include:

Familiarity with computer-aided design (CAD) software.
Knowledge or experience working with robotics.
An understanding of mechanical physics.
Good problem-solving skills.
Critical thinking skills.
Interpersonal skills that will help you work well with others on your team.

Who’s hiring for these jobs?

Mechanical engineers work in various industries, including manufacturing, energy, transportation, etc.

What’s the best way to get this job?

Becoming a mechanical engineer is easier if you start by joining an internship program while you’re still in school. That way, you’ll have some practical experience under your belt before starting your career.

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What’s it like to be a mechanical engineer?

#9. Biomedical Engineer

How much do they get paid?

Source: Zippia
Low Range: $55,000 per year
High Range: $111,000 per year
Median Pay: $78,000 per year

Highest Paying Engineering Jobs : Credits: Unsplash — Credits: Unsplash

What do they do?

Biomedical engineers design solutions to problems in the medical field and help people live healthier lives.

These engineers apply their knowledge of biomedical engineering to develop solutions that help doctors diagnose and treat patients.

What degrees and skills are usually required?

Most entry-level biomedical engineering jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree, but many employers prefer candidates with master’s degrees or doctorates.

Strong analytical skills are essential for biomedical engineers to evaluate problems in medicine and develop solutions for them. Employers also prefer candidates who can interact effectively with colleagues and clients.

Who’s hiring for these jobs?

Biomedical engineers work in various places, including hospitals, universities, government agencies, and private industry. Some specialize in working with patients directly, while others work primarily on research or designing new products.

What’s the best way to get this job?

If you’re interested in becoming a biomedical engineer, the best thing you can do is start by getting hands-on experience in your desired field. Look for internships that will allow you to gain real-world experience while building your professional network.

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Should you become a biomedical engineer?

#8. Chemical Engineer

How much do they get paid?

Source: Salary.com
Low Range: $65,737 per year
High Range: $94,365 per year
Median Pay: $79,145 per year

Highest Paying Engineering Jobs : Credits: Unsplash — Credits: Unsplash

What do they do?

Chemical engineers are responsible for designing chemical manufacturing processes. They often determine the best way to manufacture a product from raw materials based on budget, time constraints, and safety guidelines.

What degrees and skills are usually required?

Chemical engineers have a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from an accredited college or university.

Besides your engineering degree, you must be able to:

Design and build chemical systems.
Understand how these systems function.
Troubleshoot problems that may arise.

You should be good at math and problem-solving, have good communication skills, and work well as part of a team and independently.

Who’s hiring for these jobs?

Chemical engineers work in manufacturing and production, research and development, and various other industries.

What’s the best way to get this job?

The easiest way to get into this field is by pursuing the necessary education, gaining experience in your college years by working at a related job or internship.

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What’s it like to be a chemical engineer?

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#7. Systems Engineer

How much do they get paid?

Source: Payscale
Low Range: $60,000 per year
High Range: $128,000 per year
Median Pay: $81,283 per year

Highest Paying Engineering Jobs : Credits: Pexels — Credits: Pexels

What do they do?

A systems engineer is responsible for evaluating and maintaining the hardware, software, and networking systems. This may involve the management of these systems or simply ensuring that the employees are properly using them.

What degrees and skills are usually required?

The exact requirements for this position vary depending on industry and company size, but most employers require a bachelor’s degree in a computer-related subject. You’ll also need additional certifications to get hired.

Employers require some combination of IT, computer science, and electrical engineering skills.

Who’s hiring for these jobs?

Systems engineers often work in the following sectors:

Telecommunications.
Healthcare.
Finance.
Computer software companies.
Manufacturing companies.
Transportation.
Aerospace.

What’s the best way to get this job?

It is important to have the proper education and experience to get this job.

Gaining exposure by attending conferences for your field and networking with professionals in the industry will also be a plus to your job hunting endeavors. You can become a systems engineer by starting as a systems developer.

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What’s it like to be a systems engineer?

#6. Environmental Engineer

How much do they get paid?

Source: Glassdoor
Low Range: $25,000 per year
High Range: $322,000 per year
Median Pay: $84,980per year

Highest Paying Engineering Jobs : Credits: Pexels — Credits: Pexels

What do they do?

Environmental engineers are scientists who work to find solutions to problems related to the environment. They apply their knowledge of biology and chemistry to take care of issues like air pollution, recycling, and public health.

This profession aims to keep people safe by studying the effects of waste on the natural world and developing ways to prevent or remediate issues caused by waste.

What degrees and skills are usually required?

These engineers have a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering or a related field. Some employers may go for specific skills like:

Problem-solving.
Critical thinking.
Ability to relate with others.

Who’s hiring for these jobs?

These environmental engineering professionals can work for governments, companies that produce or sell things, or as consultants.

What’s the best way to get this job?

A great way to get started in this career is to take an internship or volunteer at an organization that works with environmental engineering issues. This will give you real-world experience and help you build your network.

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Should you become an environmental engineer?

#5. Aerospace Engineer

How much do they get paid?

Source: Payscale
Low Range: $64,000 per year
High Range: $132,000 per year
Median Pay: $86,034 per year

Highest Paying Engineering Jobs : Credits: Pexels — Credits: Pexels

What do they do?

Aerospace engineers design and test aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles. They also try to make sure these things work properly and are safe for the people in them.

What degrees and skills are usually required?

Most aerospace engineers have a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or another field of engineering or science related to aerospace systems.

You need good communication and interpersonal skills to work well with others in this field. You should also be creative in developing new space exploration and aviation technologies.

Who’s hiring for these jobs?

Aerospace engineers usually work in offices, research facilities, manufacturing plants, or airplanes or spaceships. These engineers work for the defense ministry and companies such as Blue Origin, SpaceX, etc.

What’s the best way to get this job?

You may start by gaining experience by enrolling in internship programs. Then apply for entry-level jobs and work your way to the top.

Should you become an aerospace engineer?

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#4. Computer Hardware Engineer

How much do they get paid?

Source: Payscale
Low Range: $61,000 per year
High Range: $136,000 per year
Median Pay: $86,463 per year

Highest Paying Engineering Jobs : Credits: Pexels — Credits: Pexels

What do they do?

Computer hardware engineers research and design computer systems. They are also responsible for designing the hardware and devices used in those computer systems.

What degrees and skills are usually required?

A bachelor’s degree in computer science, mathematics, or engineering is essential for entry-level positions. Employers prefer applicants with doctorate degrees for advanced roles.

Good problem-solving skills are essential for computer hardware engineers because they often need to solve problems during the design process.

Who’s hiring for these jobs?

Computer hardware engineers can work in manufacturing, research, or within a business department. These engineers may also work for a company that provides information technology services or individual consultants.

What’s the best way to get this job?

One of the best ways to get this job is by getting related experience before applying for it. You can get this experience through internships or part-time jobs at organizations such as research labs or technology companies.

Should you become a computer hardware engineer?

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#3. Big Data Engineer

How much do they get paid?

Source: Comparably
Low Range: $68,931 per year
High Range: $155,000 per year
Median Pay: $90,000 per year

Highest Paying Engineering Jobs : Credits: Pexels — Credits: Pexels

What do they do?

Big data engineers are responsible for the architecture and design of big data systems. They make sure that databases are secure, reliable, and well-maintained. For this reason, big data engineers have to have extensive knowledge of database systems in general and a firm understanding of best practices for designing those systems.

What degrees and skills are usually required?

Big data engineers need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. Some employers require additional certifications, like the Cloudera Certified Developer for Apache Hadoop (CCDH) certification or the Hortonworks Certified Apache Hadoop Developer certification.

Big data engineers must have:

Extensive knowledge of database systems.
Experience creating and maintaining databases.
Experience with programming languages such as Java, Python, Scala, HiveQL, or C++.

Who’s hiring for these jobs?

Big Data Engineers can find work in nearly any type of business, technology industry, finance, advertising, healthcare, government agencies, etc.

What’s the best way to get this job?

You can become a big data engineer by getting as much hands-on experience as possible. Many people like to use online courses when they’re looking to get into a new career field, but it’s important to combine those courses with real-world experience whenever you can. You should always try to apply what you’re learning.

How do you become a big data engineer?

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#2. Electrical & Electronics Engineer

How much do they get paid?

Source: Glassdoor
Low Range: $51,000 per year
High Range: $192,000 per year
Median Pay: $98,381 per year

Highest Paying Engineering Jobs : Credits: Unsplash — Credits: Unsplash

What do they do?

Electrical and electronics engineers research, develop, design, and test electrical and electronic equipment.

These creative professionals design, build and maintain the machinery and systems that power our modern world. They are responsible for everything from the small sensors in our cars to the large-scale equipment that keeps power plants running.

What degrees and skills are usually required?

Electrical and electronics engineers typically need an undergraduate engineering degree from an accredited program. This degree will give you the skills necessary for this career path.

Other skills that may make you stand out from other engineers include:

Analytical skills.
Critical thinking skills.
Creativity.
Troubleshooting skills.

Who’s hiring for these jobs?

An electronic or electrical engineer may find work in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, telecommunications, aerospace, transportation, and defense. Some work in offices; others travel to construction sites or factories to install or test equipment.

What’s the best way to get this job?

To become an electronic or electrical engineer, you should start by having the proper education. Then enroll in internship programs to gain experience. Having hands-on experience will make you a desirable candidate when applying for jobs.

What’s it like to be an electrical and electronic engineer?

#1. Nuclear Engineer

How much do they get paid?

Source: Glassdoor
Low Range: $68,000 per year
High Range: $146,000 per year
Median Pay: $99,643 per year

Highest Paying Engineering Jobs : Credits: Unsplash — Credits: Unsplash

What do they do?

Nuclear engineers are responsible for all aspects of nuclear energy production, from research and development to design, operations, maintenance, and decommissioning. They work closely with scientists to research new technologies and ways to improve existing technologies.

What degrees and skills are usually required?

They usually have at least a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering. However, some employers may hire workers who only have a degree in a related field such as mechanical or electrical engineering.

As a nuclear engineer, you should be good at math, physics, and chemistry. You also need strong problem-solving skills and excellent critical thinking skills.

Who’s hiring for these jobs?

Nuclear engineers may find work in nuclear power plants, corporate offices, manufacturing firms, healthcare, or engineering companies.

The US Navy is one of the largest nuclear engineers employers in the nation.

What is the best way to get this job?

The best way to get into this industry is to earn a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering or another closely related field. Once you have completed your education, you can begin applying for entry-level jobs with companies that employ nuclear engineers.

Should you become a nuclear engineer?

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Conclusion

The best thing about studying engineering is that it has plenty of potential for future growth. However, it’s important to note that jobs in the engineering field can vary greatly depending on what type of degree you decide to pursue. At any rate, the long-term career prospects are promising for people who choose to study engineering.

We hope our article was helpful.

Insider Tips
🚀 A thoughtful CV is more likely to get a thoughtful response. Often "thoughtful" just means you have taken the time to understand what they need and reflect that understanding on your CV.
🤖 Use Jasper to tailor the CV and cover letter for you to 10X your interviews.
💡 Check out these tools to boost your productivity and impact.

Author

SJ Tsai

Chief Editor. Writer wrangler. Research guru. Three years at scijournal. Hails from a family with five PhDs. When not shaping content, creates art. Peek at the collection on Etsy. For thoughts and updates, hit up Twitter.

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