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Job outlook for engineering scientists in the United States
Engineering scientist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected engineering scientist job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 3,700 new jobs for engineering scientists are projected over the next decade.
Engineering scientist salaries have increased 8% for engineering scientists in the last 5 years.
There are over 6,406 engineering scientists currently employed in the United States.
There are 97,496 active engineering scientist job openings in the US.
The average engineering scientist salary is $90,138.
Are engineering scientist jobs in demand?
Engineering scientist job and salary trends over time
Engineering scientist jobs over time
Engineering scientist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,406 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 6,857 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 7,148 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 7,233 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 7,437 | 0.00% |
Average engineering scientist salary over time
Engineering scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $90,138 | $43.34 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $88,534 | $42.56 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $87,562 | $42.10 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $85,897 | $41.30 | +3.1% |
| 2021 | $83,329 | $40.06 | +1.7% |
Engineering scientist jobs by state
Most common states for engineering scientists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 241 | 35% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 277 | 29% |
| 3 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,485 | 25% |
| 4 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 189 | 25% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,937 | 23% |
| 6 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 132 | 23% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 293 | 22% |
| 8 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 192 | 22% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 166 | 22% |
| 10 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 213 | 20% |
| 11 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 208 | 20% |
| 12 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,333 | 19% |
| 13 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,071 | 19% |
| 14 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 590 | 19% |
| 15 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 320 | 19% |
| 16 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 654 | 18% |
| 17 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 231 | 17% |
| 18 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,594 | 16% |
| 19 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,192 | 16% |
| 20 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 903 | 16% |
Most common cities for engineering scientists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Holly Springs | 2 | 6% | $73,580 |
| 2 | Camden | 2 | 3% | $99,234 |
| 3 | Cupertino | 2 | 3% | $108,518 |
| 4 | Frederick | 2 | 3% | $95,445 |
| 5 | Andover | 1 | 3% | $103,443 |
| 6 | Anaheim | 7 | 2% | $98,919 |
| 7 | Arlington | 7 | 2% | $84,288 |
| 8 | Melbourne | 2 | 2% | $78,256 |
| 9 | Oxnard | 3 | 1% | $100,222 |
| 10 | Fremont | 2 | 1% | $108,589 |
| 11 | Alameda | 1 | 1% | $109,094 |
| 12 | Bloomington | 1 | 1% | $74,292 |
| 13 | Colorado Springs | 2 | 0% | $98,282 |
| 14 | Houston | 2 | 0% | $83,792 |
| 15 | San Diego | 2 | 0% | $98,054 |
| 16 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $103,723 |
Engineering Scientist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of engineering scientist experts
Quinnipiac University
University of Cincinnati
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Lycoming College
Indiana University Southeast
Alfred University
Robert Morris University
Duquesne University
University of Washington
SUNY College
AIAA
Doverspike Consulting/HR LItehouse
Florida Institute of Technology
Prescott Campus
University of Florida
What Engineering Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ms. Tracee Friess A.V.P.: Aerospace Engineers use knowledge of physics, mathematics, chemistry and other science and non-science disciplines to design flight and space vehicles for specific applications.
Lisa Cuchara Ph.D.
Professor of Biomedical SciencesQuinnipiac University
Microbiological Sciences And Immunology
What Engineering Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Lisa Cuchara Ph.D.: The first and foremost would be Critical Thinking. We live in a world where facts can be easily acquired, sometimes even by asking Siri/Alexa/ChatGPT/Google/etc. But critical thinking is timeless and priceless. I can ask anyone on the street what xyz is and they can look it up, but can they provide advice or interpret.
Also being a good steward towards science and being willing and able to communicate not just with peers as we are trained, but also with the public, the politicians, the board members. John Holdren*, stated that Scientists should be tithing at least 10 percent of their time to public service ... including activism. In the ever growing science denialism that is happening in our country being able to communicate science with the public is important. As Peter Hotaz states, "Anti-science propaganda is "killing Americans in unprecedented numbers,""
*Holdren is an American scientist who served as the senior advisor to President Barack Obama on science and technology issues through his roles as assistant to the president for science and technology, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and a Research Professor in Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government
Paul Orkwis
DrUniversity of Cincinnati
Aerospace, Aeronautical, And Astronautical/Space Engineering
What Engineering Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Paul Orkwis: My first advice for a graduate is to continue to think like a student, that is, continue to learn. Aerospace Engineering is a highly dynamic field that is truly on the cutting edge. Skills that are valuable now may not be valuable in 5-10 years. The successful engineer will look for opportunities to learn new things and improve their skillset.
Abigail Charest Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorWentworth Institute of Technology
School of Engineering
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Engineering Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Abigail Charest Ph.D.: -Students getting their Masters if they didn't get a job offer
-Less early offers from co-op employers
-Trends include continued connections online with clients, conferences, presentations
What soft skills should all Engineering Scientists possess?
Abigail Charest Ph.D.: -Graduate are ready to get back to "normal" but students will need to possess professional online skills, ie professional Zoom calls
-Presenting (in person and online)
How have salaries changed over time for Engineering Scientists?
Abigail Charest Ph.D.: Salaries have not changed much over time
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Engineering Scientists?
Dr. Jeremy Ramsey: As with all aspects of the pandemic, it is difficult to know exactly what the long term prospects will be for graduating chemistry majors. I believe there will always be opportunities for candidates with a strong set of skills, significant practical experience and the ability to solve difficult problems—hallmarks of a quality Liberal Arts and Sciences education offered at Lycoming College.
What's a good job out of college for Engineering Scientists?
Dr. Jeremy Ramsey: The ideal first job for a chemistry major is one that provides advancement opportunities, possibilities for career development, and the ability to develop new skills. It may be that a first job after the degree will not provide all of these things, but any job in the chemical field will provide the opportunity to gain experience that can then lead to more desirable employment opportunities.
What will help Engineering Scientists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Jeremy Ramsey: Earning a degree that ensures hands-on experiences to enhance their learning. Our chemistry and biochemistry students build skills in the chemical laboratory and develop the ability to solve difficult chemical problems through research and internship opportunities. These experiences help to position new graduates for high quality employment possibilities and to achieve the salaries that they desire.
Dr. Sridhar Ramachandran
Department Head and Professor of InformaticsIndiana University Southeast
Department of Informatics
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Engineering Scientists?
Dr. Sridhar Ramachandran: For the last several decades, we have been seeing consistent and regular technological change that has slowly but surely permeated into our personal and social life. The pandemic is facilitating a technological revolution. The move from technological change to technological revolution comes with impacts that will definitely influence the world we live and work in. For example, the need for contact-less processes because of the pandemic had made way for revolutionary adaptation of automation. On the same vein, this pandemic has exposed the underlying digital divide and has thereafter facilitated in narrowing the identified gaps. For example, schoolchildren now have access to digital devices because school are providing them with computers and this generation of school kids have now had an early start in digital literacy. The same goes for college graduates because graduates of 2020 and 2021 have had to adapt to newer communication mediums as workplaces have become multi-modal (from job interviews over VoIP to remote work). Taken together, the pandemic has added more modalities to how our graduates can engage with their employers and this can have an enduring impact in how they will maintain their work and life balance.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Engineering Scientists?
Dr. Sridhar Ramachandran: This is a good time to improve ones' digital literacy skills and so taking courses or getting certified in technologies and skills that are now more widely being adapted can increase ones' chances of employment. For example, becoming proficient in using multiple operating systems can help a graduate adapt to whatever employer machine is provided to them for remote work. Most companies require you to use the company provided laptop for company business since it has the security built in and has proprietary software installed on it. On the same lines, taking courses in computer networking, cybersecurity and computer assembly and architecture will help you become comfortable with troubleshooting computer and technological issues on your own when you are working remotely. Highlighting these skills on your cover letter and in your resume can help communicate to your prospective employer that you can work independently when working remotely.
What will help Engineering Scientists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Sridhar Ramachandran: Having an interdisciplinary skill set will definitely help people move between projects at their workplace and increase their earning potential. Having good management skills will help people get management roles as they advance through with their career. Having good leadership skills will help people accomplish tasks assigned to them and their team and that too will help in increasing their earning potential. Most importantly, in this era of internationalization and globalization in the context of this pandemic, having diversity consciousness and cultural intelligence will open the door to employment opportunities around the world because now many companies are open to hiring remote workers. The money saved by the companies because they do not need to have dedicated office space can translate into higher pays for the remote worker employee.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Engineering Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Tim Keenan Ph.D.: This is difficult to predict, as responses to the pandemic have varied from state-to-state within the U.S., and from country-to-country around the world. With regards to how routine medical visits are conducted, I think this transition to a more electronic interaction will continue to gain momentum, as well as further development of the concept of medical personnel traveling to treat the elderly, rather than the other way around, and so I believe there will be an increase in opportunities for jobs related to telehealth and traveling medical personnel. Additionally, we are rounding the 1-year mark from which many people abstained from having elective or non-critical procedures conducted, and so I believe the next several years will see a dramatic increase in medical imaging and orthopedic, dental, and cosmetic procedures, in order to catch up with the accrued demand. This likely will not only lead to an increase in the number of professionals directly associated with conducting these procedures, but also with the professionals involved on the manufacturing side of the materials and instruments required for these procedures, which includes everything from R&D, QA, production, and packaging personnel, to financial, sales, marketing, and management personnel. Lastly, this pandemic has introduced many people to the fields of virology and epidemiology who may not have otherwise ever encountered these topics, and so I believe these fields will linger in the collective mind of the public for many years, and could potentially influence future policy decisions, which could ultimately act to procure significant funds for expanded growth in these fields.
What soft skills should all Engineering Scientists possess?
Tim Keenan Ph.D.: Pandemic aside, every graduate in the modern era should have the ability to effectively communicate across multiple platforms. Even before video chats and e-mail were the primary modes of communication between students and instructors, employees and employers, and patients and doctors, the ability to effectively communicate through both verbal and written modes has been established as a necessary attribute across many fields for quite some time. Particularly, in any field even peripherally associated with medicine, it is not only important to clearly communicate so that information pertaining to diagnoses/procedures/materials/devices is correctly received and acted upon, but also to instill confidence in those receiving the information that you know what you are doing, and that you are a trusted source of this information. This includes taking the time to properly structure and edit e-mails and memos, to sufficiently prepare and appear presentable for any virtual interactions you may have, and to not only speak clearly and confidently when meeting face-to-face, but also attentively listen to those you are meeting with.
In addition to effective communication, it is also natural to assume that eventually, many positions will once again require on-site labor, and so emotional intelligence will once again become an essential skill for every graduate to develop. It has become easier than ever to express our frustrations throughout the workday, as a simple click of the "mute" and "camera" buttons during meetings allows us to vent in ways which will not be possible once on-site days become normal again, and we can no longer simply disappear from the meetings or workplace. Learning to effectively work alongside both those you adore and those you loathe is not only a skill which will help graduates obtain thier first position, but will also allow them to excel throughout their entire careers.
How have salaries changed over time for Engineering Scientists?
Tim Keenan Ph.D.: I am a relatively young biomaterials engineer, and so I cannot draw from a long career of working in this field, but I can say that I would not have spent nearly a decade in school to obtain knowledge across mathematics, chemistry, biology, and engineering if the statistics had not suggested that it would eventually be worth the time and effort. As any graduate with a degree related to biomedical engineering surely knows, this is not a niche field, but rather, a nearly all encompassing one, and so it is very difficult to point to the history of the salaries of one particular cohort of professionals to answer this question. With that said, it is generally suggested that with increased demand comes increased opportunity, and so with an ever-increasing global population and expanded life expectancies, and now with an accrued backlog of patients awaiting medical procedures, it is logical to assume that this industry will continue to grow, along with the salaries of its employees. One point which graduates should also consider is not only the salaries associated with positions, but where those positions are located, and how the employer is willing to allow you to work (i.e. on-site vs. remotely). When surveying the data on starting salaries, as I did when deciding my career path, there is often little consideration for the cost of living associated with where those types of jobs may be located. A large number of the companies associated with this sector are situated in some of the most expensive places to live across the entire country, both in terms of real estate costs and taxation, and so some of the salary information may be misleading if those additional factors are not also considered. So, although there is no doubt that graduates in this field can expect to earn a relatively high starting salary, I would urge them to consider their offers in terms of both salary and cost of living, so they can determine which is the most financially advantageous, especially if they are exiting their education with loans which need to be repaid.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Engineering Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Benjamin Campbell Ph.D.: I have heard from CEOs and Presidents of companies that have embraced working from home and are considering keeping this arrangement for several of their work groups, even after the pandemic. Allowing remote work decreases the need for expensive office space (especially in high rent areas like Silicon Valley or New York City) and virtual meetings cut travel costs. A company can recruit worldwide and invite a prospective employee to live anywhere that has a high speed internet connection. Employees value the flexibility, comfort, and non-existent commute of working from home. There are sectors where managers and their teams have adjusted well to working remotely. As long as the productivity doesn't suffer, I feel this trend will continue.
For those recent graduates entertaining the workforce, they will need to demonstrate the ability to work remotely, and manage their own schedule when they don't have an office structure surrounding them. This can be conveyed in an interview by talking about their online education during the pandemic, and the work ethic they developed managing a course load of synchronous or asynchronous online courses with individual and group assignments. An internship that required working remotely is another great talking point in an interview. Discuss a typical day on that job, the technical challenges faced and the solutions developed under the adverse circumstances of the pandemic.
Dr. Melikhan Tanyeri Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biomedical EngineeringDuquesne University
Department of Engineering
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Engineering Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Melikhan Tanyeri Ph.D.: Jobs that allow working remotely will be popular. This would allow young professionals to choose a career which provide them with the flexibility to relocate. It would enable people to live in more affordable cities/states, and raise their family there. Some cities already started to provide incentives for young professionals to move and work remotely. It will also accelerate automation and digitization of a variety of industries, leading to new job categories, especially related to machine learning and artificial intelligence. Healthcare and public health will continue to be another focal point in the near future.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Engineering Scientists to find work opportunities?
Marco Salviato Ph.D.: I am a little biased here but, honestly, I cannot think of a better place than the Greater Seattle area and Washington State. We have the best aerospace companies in the world and the aerospace industry is an integral part of the economy and history of the State.
What skills stand out on Engineering Scientist resumes?
Marco Salviato Ph.D.: I ask and I get asked this question a lot. Of course excellent academic performance goes a long way but it is not enough to be competitive. Most of the industrial partners I collaborate with tell me they are looking for "problem solvers", engineers who have strong fundamentals and who know how to apply them to solve engineering problems. They also look for "soft skills" such as project management experience, excellence in reporting scientific results and outcome of projects, leadership skills, and ability to work in a team.
My advice to students to nurture these skills is to engage as early as possible with student clubs such as UW Design Build Fly (DBF) or SARP (Society for Advanced Rocket Propulsion). Another good idea is to get involved as soon as possible in research activities conducted by faculty in the Department. Finally, I cannot stress enough the importance of participating in summer internships at aerospace companies. For all these activities to be relevant, it is important to make sure there are tangible outcomes and the contribution of the student is evident. A sentence such as, "I worked in a team of twenty people to design a new concept of bracket for an aerospace hydraulic fuel system. I was the leader of a team of five people in charge of the structural design. Leveraging Finite Element Analysis we were able to reduce the weight of the bracket of more than 50 percent compared to legacy design. In addition to the FEM simulations, my responsibilities included organizing weekly meetings with the team to discuss progress, deliverables, and timeline, presenting the results to the company, and writing monthly scientific reports" really stands out in a resume. All the industrial partners I work with told me that having these experiences with tangible outcomes in the resume is one of the key deciding factors for a new hire.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Engineering Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Klaus Dölle: During the Pandemic implementation, home office workspaces are very popular. Companies have to reduce their workforce population in their office space, especially, if they have large open space offices. Online meetings are very common now using Skype, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, etc., depending on the company's policy or internal regulation.
Due to on-line meetings, large companies, save two-digit million numbers in travel cost. This will have an impact on future travel and meetings. Home office space will save future office space costs. Home office space is already implemented for some sales force prior to COVID (Why pay for office space if the sales rep travels 80% of his time?) I assume companies will most likely reduce some office space and save costs that way, by having to rent less office space. Fewer business trips in the future, more on-line meetings. This will have an impact on airline travel. I remember when I was working and 9/11 happened, the same was done by companies on a much smaller scale. Internet technology was not that advanced yet and too costly; after a while, it went back to a normal operation.
What general advice would you give to an Engineering Scientist?
Brian Talbot: Entering the aerospace workforce now is different in the COVID environment. It's important to find more avenues to get connected and expand your knowledge beyond the classroom. AIAA has hosted virtual recruiting events for our student members with companies like SpaceX, Ball Aerospace, and Lockheed Martin. We've created an online-based mentor-mentee matching program. We've also created new online educational opportunities that can differentiate candidates with both technical and soft skills. There are many opportunities out there, so look for new ways that you can find connections at the companies whose missions excite you. It's important for graduates to be proactive and take advantage of options available. It's through these channels that you can actively shape your career journey, even during challenging times.
What type of skills will young Engineering Scientists need?
Dennis Doverspike Ph.D.: Seemingly a paradox, there will continue to be a need for very general, but highly fungible, skills and demand for too specialized skills, requiring advanced education. Coding, statistics, and data analysis related skills will remain a hot growth area. The aging of the baby boomers will create demand for medical and healthcare-related regions, especially nursing, nursing aides, and emergency services. Despite the automation of many people facing jobs, there will continue to be a demand for interpersonal and people skills, including various types of sales. The switch to remote work, due to COVID, will create a substantial future market to fill the leadership and managerial skills gap. In many areas of Technology and engineering, it is already challenging to find a combination of technical knowledge and people skills, and this demand will intensify.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Engineering Scientists to find work opportunities?
Dennis Doverspike Ph.D.: Not sure if this question meant geographic locations or industries. I will assume it means geographic areas. Both government and the health care industries will continue to grow, along with a decline in traditional manufacturing, so this will increase jobs around Washington, DC, state capitals, and large regional medical centers. It is harder to predict the impact of COVID and remote work on our cities, especially those located in high housing cost areas and on the coasts. Nevertheless, the movement to remote work and small education continues to expand, making it more and more accurate that choosing where to live will depend upon personal preferences. Thus, location will become less of a factor in work decisions and be driven more by family and leisure choices. One exception might be the aging of the baby boomers. If we see more and more Villages created, then those communities for older individuals will need service staff living in the area to provide personalized medical care, along with a range of recreational and entertainment options.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Engineering Scientists in the next 5 years?
Shem Malmquist: Outside of the freight operators, most airlines are cutting back due to a loss of demand. I would expect that to last about 2 or 3 years, but retirements and attrition should start to increase demand again after that time.
Laura Polk
Assistant Director, Career Services & Corporate RelationsPrescott Campus
Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Space Physics, Astronomy, & Cyber Intelligence and Security
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Engineering Scientists?
Laura Polk: This is the million-dollar question. This global pandemic is a continually evolving situation, so my answer to this question was very different today than six months ago. I expect it to be different in another six months. But, my simple answer is, yes. The coronavirus pandemic will have an enduring impact on all of our lives, and no one will come out of this untouched. The good news is that mechanical engineering is still a very in-demand degree program.
Most graduates will find employment after graduation, as long as they are willing to keep their options open. The job outlook will look different for a mechanical engineering student wanting to work at an innovative startup versus a mechanical engineering student wishing to work for a large defense company. While many startups have to make more conservative financial decisions and may not be hiring, some defense companies have increased hiring during the pandemic. For example, Lockheed Martin added 5,000 new job postings over the summer.
My hope for this year's graduates is to graduate with a newfound appreciation for the positive change they can impart on the world. There is a lot in our world that needs to be fixed, and we need intelligence young people with innovative ideas to help improve some of our nation's most pressing obstacles.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Engineering Scientists to find work opportunities?
Bruce Carroll Ph.D.: Aerospace jobs are available all across the US. Some pockets are well known, e.g. the locations of the large aerospace companies. There are also many startup companies in fields related to unmanned vehicles, drones, and personal urban aircraft. Companies in Florida and Georgia have been actively hiring graduates from our programs in recent years, and I think this will continue.
There is a strong demand in these two states related to military aircraft and armaments. This includes the maintenance of existing airframes and the development and production of new platforms. The commercial space industry is coming on strong with a large presence in Florida. There is also strong demand from both spacecraft and aircraft propulsion companies. The overall employment market continues to be strong for our region.