Top 5 highest paid engineering jobs

Many of the highest paying careers in the world are found in engineering, often exceeding $100,000 per year with experience. As one of the most in-demand jobs, engineering degrees make up 10 of the top 17 highest paid degrees. In fact, almost half of all engineering positions are unfilled. If you’re looking into earning your degree in engineering, keep these top five highest paid jobs in mind. 

 Petroleum engineer

With a median starting salary of $74,240, a mid-career salary of $132,320, and a top salary at about $186,520, industry experts are predicting that many current petroleum engineers will retire within the next decade, just as the global demand for energy is increasing. The need for petroleum engineers is expected to exceed the number of individuals trained to fill available positions.

Internationally and domestically, this demand will advance the careers and the salaries of engineers in this field.

Aerospace engineer

New graduates with a degree in aerospace engineering can expect a starting salary of about $65,450. Because of cutbacks in space exploration, the US Department of Labor predicts that the need for aerospace engineers will grow at 5% in the next few years. The average mid-career salary in this field of engineering is $103,720.

Computer engineer

As a newer field in engineering, some sources believe there are not enough computer engineers to keep up with demand, while other sources say the job growth market for computer engineers will be below the national average. The median starting salary for a computer engineer is $63,970, with a mid-career salary of $101,000.

Keep in mind that most technological breakthroughs are coming in the area of software engineering and not computer hardware.

Chemical engineer

Chemical engineers are typically employed in the areas of manufacturing and research, with a median starting salary of $94,000. Not only do they work for chemical companies, but in the manufacturing of electronics, clothing, paper, medicine, and food as well.

Chemical engineers are able to advance their careers from manufacturing plants to technical sales and company management. Over the next few years, the market for chemical engineers is expected to be flat, though job growth in closely-related areas, such as biomedical engineering, is predicted to be much faster than average, according to the US Department of Labor. A mid-career salary averages at $109,000.

Electrical engineer

Newly-graduated electrical engineers can expect an average salary of $57,330. Mid-career salaries will earn you about $89,180, depending on a number of factors including industry, company size, location, and education. Many electrical engineering careers consist of designing electronics schematics for commercial and consumer use.

In this area, job growth is predicted to be about 6% through the next few years.

Source: Types of Engineering Degrees