How do you get an associate's degree in engineering?

A person gets an associate's degree in engineering by enrolling in an accredited college program. Before choosing a program, a person should decide what kind of engineering degree they want.

How much does an engineering associate make?

An engineering associate makes around $75,000 in a year. However, this typical salary can range from $56,000 a year to over $90,000 in a year. The range in salary level for an associate engineer depends on a variety of factors. These factors include experience and education, as well as location, industry, and company. There are numerous unique combinations that any person may have of these five factors that will influence their specific salary.

What is an engineering associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Experts

Daniel Solis Ph.D.,

Robert Taylor

An engineering associate works in the field of engineering, typically holding a degree in engineering or a related field. They work alongside professional engineers to design, develop, and test various products, systems, and processes. Engineering associates prepare reports, analyze data, and provide technical support. They may also assist in the construction and installation of equipment and ensure that products meet standards. Additionally, engineering associates may work with clients to identify their needs and provide solutions.

What general advice would you give to an Engineering Associate?

Daniel Solis Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Leader, Florida A&M University

I don't expect enduring negative impacts, due to COVID19, on our students. Transitioning to online classes, during this time, forced students to adapt fast to new environments, which is a good working skill. Students also had to learn to use alternative new technologies. I believe our students will come out strong and better equipped from this pandemic.

ScoreEngineering AssociateUS Average

Salary

5.5

Avg. Salary $70,657

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

2.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.15%

Asian 8.05%

Black or African American 6.26%

Hispanic or Latino 10.43%

Unknown 4.32%

White 70.79%

Gender

female 19.24%

male 80.76%

Age - 52

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52

Stress Level

5.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.4

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.2

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Engineering Associate?

Pros

Good salary and benefits
Chance to develop technical skills
Opportunities for career growth and advancement
Job stability and security
Potential for travel or relocation

Cons

Long hours and tight deadlines
Potential for burnout or fatigue
May require working in harsh environments or dangerous conditions
Can involve a lot of paperwork and bureaucracy
Can be physically demanding work

Key steps to become an engineering associate

Explore engineering associate education requirements

Most common engineering associate degrees

Bachelor's

69.0 %

Associate

16.7 %

Master's

9.2 %

Start to develop specific engineering associate skills

Skills	Percentages
Python	6.73%
Java	6.02%
CAD	5.85%
C++	5.20%
Project Management	4.96%

Complete relevant engineering associate training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New engineering associates learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an engineering associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real engineering associate resumes.

Gain additional engineering associate certifications

Engineering associate certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific engineering associate certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for engineering associates include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Six Sigma Green Belt.

More About Certifications

Research engineering associate duties and responsibilities

Work closely with project managers, procurement, shipping/receiving, stores, QA and project leads.
Manage and analyze the SEO, SEM and analytics programs for both defensive and offensive marketing opportunities.
Demonstrate professionalism and the ability to manage projects independently, performing facility layouts within AutoCAD to forecast customer costs.
Work in maintaining the database and data analysis of all the records using SQL.

Prepare your engineering associate resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your engineering associate resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an engineering associate resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Engineering Associate Resume templates

Build a professional Engineering Associate resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Engineering Associate resume.