Chief engineer demographics and statistics in the US
Chief engineer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates chief engineer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our chief engineer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about chief engineers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 16,610 chief engineers currently employed in the United States.
- 3.8% of all chief engineers are women, while 96.2% are men.
- The average chief engineer age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of chief engineers is White (71.7%), followed by Asian (10.2%), Hispanic or Latino (9.9%) and Unknown (4.6%).
- Chief engineers are most in-demand in Washington, DC.
- Palo Alto, CA pays an annual average wage of $160,400, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women chief engineers earned 104% of what men earned.
- California is the best state for chief engineers to live.
- Chief engineers are 62% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Chief engineer demographics by:
Chief engineer gender statistics
3.8% of chief engineers are women and 96.2% of chief engineers are men.
- Male, 96.2%
- Female, 3.8%
Chief engineer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 96.2% |
| Female | 3.8% |
Chief engineer gender pay gap
Women earn $1.04 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$103,352
Female income
$107,798
Chief engineer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in chief engineer positions over time. Currently, 3.8% of chief engineers are female.
Chief engineer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 96.86% | 3.14% |
| 2011 | 97.83% | 2.17% |
| 2012 | 97.17% | 2.83% |
| 2013 | 97.34% | 2.66% |
| 2014 | 97.00% | 3.00% |
| 2015 | 96.73% | 3.27% |
| 2016 | 97.11% | 2.89% |
| 2017 | 96.49% | 3.51% |
| 2018 | 96.69% | 3.31% |
| 2019 | 96.65% | 3.35% |
| 2020 | 95.83% | 4.17% |
| 2021 | 96.19% | 3.81% |
Chief engineer related jobs gender ratio
We compared chief engineers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, senior electronics design engineer and refrigeration engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Engineer | 11% | 89% |
| Chief Engineer | 96% | 4% |
| Machine Tool Designer | 99% | 1% |
| Refrigeration Engineer | 99% | 1% |
| Senior Electronics Design Engineer | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Chief engineer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among chief engineers is White, which makes up 71.7% of all chief engineers. Comparatively, 10.2% of chief engineers are Asian and 9.9% of chief engineers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 71.7%
- Asian, 10.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.9%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- Black or African American, 3.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
Chief engineer race
| Chief engineer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 71.7% |
| Asian | 10.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.9% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| Black or African American | 3.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.1% |
Chief engineer race and ethnicity over time
See how chief engineer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Chief engineer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.90% | 3.61% | 8.04% | 7.53% |
| 2011 | 78.97% | 3.61% | 7.82% | 7.83% |
| 2012 | 79.40% | 3.84% | 6.98% | 8.16% |
| 2013 | 78.97% | 3.09% | 8.47% | 7.58% |
| 2014 | 77.00% | 3.19% | 9.59% | 8.58% |
| 2015 | 77.48% | 3.44% | 8.20% | 9.17% |
| 2016 | 75.50% | 3.63% | 9.29% | 9.76% |
| 2017 | 76.22% | 2.92% | 9.01% | 9.69% |
| 2018 | 77.00% | 3.23% | 8.65% | 8.92% |
| 2019 | 75.46% | 3.47% | 9.16% | 9.20% |
| 2020 | 71.95% | 3.18% | 10.66% | 10.55% |
| 2021 | 71.70% | 3.53% | 10.16% | 9.88% |
Chief engineer wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino chief engineers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american chief engineers have the lowest average salary at $95,273.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $103,563 |
| White | $105,478 |
| Black or African American | $95,273 |
| Asian | $104,248 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $108,691 |
Average chief engineer age
See how the average age of chief engineers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Chief engineer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 39 | 36 |
| White | 40 | 33 |
| Black or African American | 40 | 48 |
| Asian | 38.5 | 34 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 26 |
Chief engineer age breakdown
The average age of chief engineers is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the chief engineer population.
Chief engineer age breakdown
| Chief Engineer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Chief engineer educational attainment
The most common degree for chief engineers is bachelor's degree, with 49% of chief engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 13%.
- Bachelor's, 49%
- Associate, 16%
- Master's, 13%
- High School Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 13%
Chief engineers by degree level
| Chief engineer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 49% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Master's | 13% |
| High School Diploma | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 13% |
Chief engineer jobs you might like
Chief engineer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, chief engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $146,190 annually. With a Master's degree, chief engineers earn a median annual income of $128,963 compared to $106,313 for chief engineers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $128,963 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $106,313 |
| Doctorate Degree | $146,190 |
Chief engineer employment statistics
Most chief engineers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where chief engineers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where chief engineers work.
Chief engineer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 18% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 29% |
Chief engineer jobs by company type
Employees with the chief engineer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most chief engineers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Chief engineer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 30% |
| Private | 62% |
| Government | 5% |
Chief engineer jobs by industry
The most common industries for chief engineers are hospitality, manufacturing and transportation.
Chief engineer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 17% |
| Fortune 500 | 14% |
| Manufacturing | 9% |
| Transportation | 8% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Real Estate | 8% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Government | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 3% |
| Energy | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Chief engineer turnover and employment statistics
Chief engineer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for chief engineers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Chief engineer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Chief engineer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.09% |
| 2011 | 4.26% |
| 2012 | 2.86% |
| 2013 | 1.99% |
| 2014 | 1.63% |
| 2015 | 1.74% |
| 2016 | 1.46% |
| 2017 | 1.74% |
| 2018 | 1.20% |
| 2019 | 1.42% |
| 2020 | 2.46% |
| 2021 | 2.18% |
Average chief engineer tenure
The average chief engineer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 14,500 chief engineers resumes in Zippia's database.
Chief engineer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 12% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 14% |
Chief engineer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of chief engineers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Health And Safety Director | 3.67% | 80,031 |
| Chief Engineer | 4.55% | - |
| Green Building Engineer | 5.25% | 6,618 |
| Controls Designer | 6.39% | 79,729 |
| Avionics Engineer | 7.54% | 30,744 |
| Monomer Recovery Supervisor | 8.92% | 26,999 |
| Smelting Engineer | 10.43% | 3,371 |
Similar chief engineer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Health And Safety Director | 3.67% | 80,031 |
| Green Building Engineer | 5.25% | 6,618 |
| Controls Designer | 6.39% | 79,729 |
| Avionics Engineer | 7.54% | 30,744 |
| Monomer Recovery Supervisor | 8.92% | 26,999 |
| Smelting Engineer | 10.43% | 3,371 |
Foreign languages spoken by chief engineers
The most common foreign language among chief engineers is Spanish at 39.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Carrier at 13.7% and French is the third-most popular at 9.6%.
- Spanish, 39.4%
- Carrier, 13.7%
- French, 9.6%
- Russian, 6.8%
- German, 4.8%
- Other, 25.7%
Chief engineer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 39.4% |
| Carrier | 13.7% |
| French | 9.6% |
| Russian | 6.8% |
| German | 4.8% |
| Other | 25.7% |
