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Job outlook for engineering specialists in the United States
Engineering specialist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected engineering specialist job growth rate is 5% from 2018-2028.
About 8,400 new jobs for engineering specialists are projected over the next decade.
Engineering specialist salaries have increased 14% for engineering specialists in the last 5 years.
There are over 7,208 engineering specialists currently employed in the United States.
There are 74,442 active engineering specialist job openings in the US.
The average engineering specialist salary is $91,767.
Are engineering specialist jobs in demand?
Engineering specialist job and salary trends over time
Engineering specialist jobs over time
Engineering specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,208 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 5,481 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 6,657 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 32,759 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 33,657 | 0.01% |
Average engineering specialist salary over time
Engineering specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $91,767 | $44.12 | +3.4% |
| 2025 | $88,743 | $42.66 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $86,734 | $41.70 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | $83,257 | $40.03 | +3.4% |
| 2022 | $80,520 | $38.71 | +1.0% |
Engineering specialist jobs by state
Most common states for engineering specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 388 | 56% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 280 | 29% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 2,042 | 24% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,664 | 24% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 181 | 24% |
| 6 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 141 | 24% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 172 | 23% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 302 | 22% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 237 | 22% |
| 10 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,573 | 21% |
| 11 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,153 | 21% |
| 12 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 657 | 21% |
| 13 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,224 | 20% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 387 | 20% |
| 15 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 596 | 19% |
| 16 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 322 | 19% |
| 17 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 196 | 19% |
| 18 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 157 | 18% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 942 | 17% |
| 20 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 218 | 16% |
Most common cities for engineering specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Livonia | 5 | 5% | $93,308 |
| 2 | Tallahassee | 7 | 4% | $79,910 |
| 3 | Springfield | 5 | 4% | $91,737 |
| 4 | Hartford | 4 | 3% | $88,617 |
| 5 | Lansing | 4 | 3% | $92,275 |
| 6 | Des Moines | 4 | 2% | $72,611 |
| 7 | Atlanta | 7 | 1% | $73,684 |
| 8 | Boston | 7 | 1% | $87,233 |
| 9 | Detroit | 6 | 1% | $93,402 |
| 10 | Sacramento | 6 | 1% | $121,478 |
| 11 | Washington | 6 | 1% | $99,812 |
| 12 | Indianapolis | 5 | 1% | $79,283 |
| 13 | Urban Honolulu | 5 | 1% | $78,032 |
| 14 | Minneapolis | 4 | 1% | $72,445 |
| 15 | Saint Paul | 4 | 1% | $72,483 |
| 16 | Los Angeles | 8 | 0% | $110,598 |
| 17 | Phoenix | 6 | 0% | $83,624 |
| 18 | Chicago | 4 | 0% | $95,677 |
Engineering Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of engineering specialist experts
Michigan Technological University
University of Maryland - College Park
Thomas Jefferson University and Philadelphia University
Clemson University
Stony Brook University
Georgia Institute of Technology
SUNY College
What general advice would you give to an Engineering Specialist?
John Irwin EdD: Engineering technology graduates are masters of technology, gaining a broad and deep understanding of the processes, systems, tools, and techniques necessary to construct, modify, operate, and maintain an engineering design. They act as technological integrators, bridging the gap between the skilled trades and engineering fundamentals. This is a great career path for those who enjoy engineering concepts but would rather spend time working with their hands solving specific technical issues than tackling broader, more complex design challenges.
Donald Yeung
Professor and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Education, Affiliate Professor, Computer Science DepartmentUniversity of Maryland - College Park
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
What skills stand out on Engineering Specialist resumes?
Donald Yeung: A degree at a highly rated engineering school is always a plus. For example, the ECE dept at UMD has a good reputation among local employers as well as employers elsewhere, such as Silicon Valley. Many of our students go to companies in these areas, and so we have a reputation based on the quality of students that go out. I think employers know what they're getting. Beyond the school from which you receive your degree, your GPA is also important. How well you do in the program you come from is important, too, obviously. And employers also know about grade inflation or deflation at different schools, so they can calibrate any student's GPA against what experience they've had with previous students' records. Besides that, employers also look for experience outside of the degree program, so internships, research experiences, any significant project experience, etc., are also a real plus.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Engineering Specialists?
Donald Yeung: In terms of hard technical skills, I believe the courses students take along with their GPA in these courses is one level of demonstration. (As I mentioned above, employers know about our program probably down to specific courses, and so if someone gets an A+ in some notoriously challenging course, that's probably known and appreciated). Some employers will give technical interviews and require students to solve problems on their feet. But I think most employers will judge this based on a student's transcript.
Brian George Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorThomas Jefferson University and Philadelphia University
Industrial Engineering
What skills stand out on Engineering Specialist resumes?
Brian George Ph.D.: For those with engineering degrees, there are usually courses that are the same across most engineering programs, and graduates will have the ability to address math, science, and engineering problems. What can stand out are courses like product development, problem-solving, data analysis classes, internships, co-ops, and summer jobs where students can apply the theory they learned in the classroom to real-world situations.
What soft skills should all Engineering Specialists possess?
Brian George Ph.D.: As far as soft skills, the ability to communicate verbally and via writing, work together with people from different backgrounds, and brainstorm and critical thinking are all important soft skills, such as networking.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Engineering Specialists?
Brian George Ph.D.: Hard/technical skills needed for a position may be dependent upon the position itself. It is hard to say exactly what hard/technical skills are the most important without knowing the exact job description, but knowing how to find information to solve problems can be as important as knowing how to do the required work. Knowledge of engineering will be important for our graduates, but sometimes having experience or knowledge in other fields can be just as valuable, as is the ability to read technical papers and patents and understand them.
What skills will help Engineering Specialists earn the most?
Brian George Ph.D.: Skills that companies desire are the ability to complete work on time, the ability to work with others, professionalism, a strong work ethic, leadership, and communication skills.
Dr. John Ballato
J. E. Sirrine Endowed Chair and ProfessorClemson University
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
What skills stand out on Engineering Specialist resumes?
Dr. John Ballato: The phrase "well rounded" may be getting old, but it's still true. We like to see graduates who didn't just go to class but worked in a laboratory or did a co-op/internship and had various extra-curricular activities, both personal and professional. Remember that materials science and engineering are leveraging computer science more and more, whether through atomistic or microstructural modeling or newer technologies such as machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). So having some familiarity with those and how they complement experimental/hands-on studies are helpful.
Another point about skills that stand out is a simple one - do your homework. There are few things more irritating than receiving a resume or email asking for a job, and the student clearly didn't care enough to look up what we do. The resume is a copy and paste and isn't personalized to the specific position, Group, or company. That stands out like a sore thumb.
What Engineering Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Joseph Reichenberger PE [CA AZ HI NM NV], BCEE, F.ASCE: It has always been my philosophy that it doesn't matter how long it takes to finish your education; the important thing is to finish it. Because of the reduced opportunities for funding as mentioned in Question 1, this will cause a delay in finishing for many. It may impact some non-STEM majors to the point that their enrollment will decline as they see there are few jobs and the cost of education is too high for so few jobs. I believe many high school graduates will be going to community colleges to continue their education inexpensively (enrollment increasing, maybe more distance learning since space may be limited). There will be a significant number entering the "crafts" and take on apprenticeships in the construction and other industries (auto repair, for example, requiring high skills). The water industry is always looking for entry-level staff. This is one industry where you can start out as a meter reader and make it to general manager given enough "drive." Many have succeeded in this way.
In terms of skills to learn or pick up during a "gap" year or two would be to improve communication and writing skills; learn new software and possibly even network management. Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Building Information Modeling (BIM), and Remote Sensing are major areas in civil engineering where new, skilled employees are needed. Obtain certification in "Green Buldings" LEED, "Envision," and forms of "sustainability." These skills are going to be very important and will allow a student to find temporary or part-time employment to provide funding once the skills are learned.
What type of skills will young Engineering Specialists need?
Gábor Balázsi Ph.D.: Same as in previous years.
What type of skills will young Engineering Specialists need?
Radhakrishnaiah Parachuru: -Ability to function in groups and effective group management/communication skills
-Ability to quickly grasp and apply emerging technological and scientific advances
-Willingness to stay open and learn continuously
-Willingness to adjust and accommodate keeping larger interests in mind
What experience really stands out on Engineering Specialist resumes?
Radhakrishnaiah Parachuru: -Demonstration of the ability to work independently to accomplish goals
-Demonstration of the ability to work hard and inspire others through example
-Motivation and focus
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Engineering Specialist 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.