As the economy continues to trend upward, so has employment outlook and employees’ pay rates. Among the jobs that are projected to go on the rise are multiple engineering professions. According to a recent article by DesignNews.com, hiring for Engineers is projected to continue rising due to the demand in various industries such as rebuilding of infrastructure, renewable energy, oil and gas extraction, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, and robotics.
In its 2016 salary report, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) stated that the median annual wages for all occupations in engineering was more than twice as high, at $77,900, as the median annual wage for all occupations in the economy, which was $37,040.
SoloPoint Solutions put together this chart based on the BLS’ job employment and salary projections for 2016-2026 by discipline, and included an updated median annual income for these positions as of 2017’s average, which was compiled through Salary.com. (Editor’s Note: These salaries are based on the national median and is not broken down by region or states so the salaries compiled in this list may be different from your region’s average. The compiled median salaries are based on the salaries of professionals who have 5+ years’ experience in their line of work.):
| Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.gov) | Salary.com | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupation | Employment 2016 (Thousands) | Employment 2026 (Thousands) | Employment change, 2016-2026 (thousands) |
Employment change, 2016-2026 (percent) |
2016 median annual wage | 2017 median annual wage |
| Aerospace Engineers |
69.6 | 73.8 | 4.2 | 6.1% | $109,650 | $108,833 |
| Biomedical Engineers | 21.3 | 22.8 | 1.5 | 7.2% | $85,620 | $92,971 |
| Electrical Engineers | 188.3 | 204.5 | 16.2 | 8.6% | $94,210 | $98,034 |
| Industrial Engineers | 257.9 | 283 | 25.1 | 9.7% | $84,310 | $95,031 |
| Mechanical Engineers | 288.8 | 314.1 | 25.3 | 8.8% | $84,190 | $96,463 |
So why are these jobs currently in demand?
Aerospace Engineers – According to Boeing’s Market Outlook, a rise in consumer spending on services, lower-cost air fare and a strong economy have caused a 5% increase in air travelers year to year. This lead to increased demand for new airplanes (more than 40,000 by 2036) which in turn will affect the demand on aerospace engineering employment.
Biomedical Engineers – Topuniversities.com said, “To meet the needs of aging populations around the world and drive forward rapid innovations in medical technologies, including 3D printing and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), there will be a surge in demand for biomedical engineers to enter the workforce and advance the field of medicine.”
Electrical Engineers – Another education and employment resource website, myfuture.com, said that though the demand for electrical engineering is not as pronounced as some of its engineering peers; the rapid pace of technological innovation and development will likely drive demand for electrical and electronics engineers in research and development. These engineers will play key roles in new developments having to do with solar arrays, semiconductors, and communications technologies.
Industrial Engineers – The BLS stated that Industrial Engineers have higher growth projections because of their capabilities to increase system efficiency and therefore reduce internal expenses.
Mechanical Engineers – In a recent interview with Metro Magazine, Israr Kabir, Business Development Manager of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), said that mechanical engineers will not be included among the jobs that will be taken over by robots, but rather will help increase in hiring for more. “We’d actually be designing and building that robot, if you think about it,” says Kabir. “Because of the level of thought required — there’s a lot of in-depth thinking from a technical and mathematical standpoint— it’s not really a job that could be easily automated.”
To learn more about the hot engineering market and how to hire for top engineering talents, contact the staffing experts at SoloPoint Solutions today! We can also help you in making your next career move!