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| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 839 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 879 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 872 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 845 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 807 | 0.00% |
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $116,010 | $55.77 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $112,363 | $54.02 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | $109,206 | $52.50 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $106,847 | $51.37 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $104,527 | $50.25 | +1.5% |
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 153 | 22% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 712 | 10% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 624 | 9% |
| 4 | California | 39,536,653 | 2,864 | 7% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 584 | 7% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 411 | 7% |
| 7 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 372 | 7% |
| 8 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 310 | 7% |
| 9 | Delaware | 961,939 | 71 | 7% |
| 10 | Alaska | 739,795 | 49 | 7% |
| 11 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 785 | 6% |
| 12 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 590 | 6% |
| 13 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 410 | 6% |
| 14 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 343 | 6% |
| 15 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 342 | 6% |
| 16 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 204 | 6% |
| 17 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 197 | 6% |
| 18 | New York | 19,849,399 | 931 | 5% |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 268 | 5% |
| 20 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 154 | 5% |
Pennsylvania State University - Abington
University of Alaska Fairbanks

University of Iowa

Ohio University
York College of Pennsylvania
Kettering University
California State University - Sacramento
University of Pittsburgh

Centenary College of Louisiana

University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Yi Yang PhD: First of all, be really good at what you do. Always negotiate for a higher salary based on your qualifications and market value. Additionally, consider exploring opportunities in management and actively contribute to strategic decision-making. Taking calculated risks, such as joining a startup, can also lead to valuable experiences and skill development that can enhance your earning potential in the long run.
Jaunelle Celaire: Never stop learning! This may consist of going back to school, earning new certifications in your field of study, attending conferences and seminars, and making sure that your time management is always at its finest level of excellence.

Casey DeRoo Ph.D.: Rather than a concrete skill, previous experience in managing teams to accomplish engineering-related tasks is sure to make you a standout. Showcasing familiarity with work management software (e.g., Jira) or budget/total effort tracking systems is important. Find out what software the company you're seeking employment with uses, and be sure to highlight this if you're familiar with it.

Robert Williams Ph.D.: Clearly a huge change we have seen in the past year, that will have some impact into the future, is widespread telecommuting, i.e. working from home. For employees just entering the job market in 2021, they have my sympathy - I think it would be very hard to start in a new job with only meeting your co-workers and boss via Zoom or Teams. On the other hand, in my own experience as a (reluctant but necessary) remote on-line educator, my time on the job daily is much ore efficient in working from home. Some of my engineer friends in industry have said the same thing, they are much more efficient working from home rather than in the lab, office, or plant.
York College of Pennsylvania
Civil and Mechanical Engineering
Tristan Ericson Ph.D.: Engineering jobs will still be available. Some companies are struggling in the pandemic, but some are thriving. Our students are still able to find co-ops, and our graduates are still finding jobs. The market has slowed a bit, but not as much as I expected. Rather, we see a shift in job availability as the need for different technologies changes. Most of our summer 2020 graduating seniors found jobs. It took more time for some of them to secure employment than typical, but their ultimate success rate was higher than I would have anticipated in such an uncertain time. Going forward, I think the need for engineering jobs will gradually increase to levels higher than pre-pandemic. Consider the Biden administration's ambitious infrastructure goals. These alone will place increased demand on engineering, but they are also a broader indicator of society's increased need for innovation and product development. The push for vehicle electrification will provide many new job opportunities in that staple industry.
Patrick Atkinson: Broadly speaking, employers are looking for employees who can jump in, take on a project and move things forward. Since engineers are data-driven, knowing how to read and interpret findings from a variety of sources is key. This can be very challenging if the data conflicts between sources or the data is unclear. Whether the data is from a mathematical model, a physical test laboratory, or from the field, learning how to synthesize the findings and balance the strengths/weaknesses of a given data source are key. At the end of the day, every project needs a way forward and it is the engineer's job to optimize a design to meet the objectives for the product.
Steven Fernandez: No sure, with respect to mechanical engineering there is so many variables as to what new trends ME grads can experience. One of the greatest challenges Mechanical Engineering students face is the broadness of the field of study they have chosen. Surprisingly, many ME grads find themselves at a bit of a loss as to what carrier path to choose when they finally get their degree. As a mechanical engineer you can be designing anything from a supersonic missile, to a food processing line, in multiple functions. Mechanical engineers can be project engineers, design engineers, operation engineers, or manufacturing engineers with all options in just one industrial field. Each industrial field is affected differently by the pandemic. Take Space X, Google, Amazon, and Raytheon which are all industries ME's work in. These company seem to be doing the same if not better during the pandemic. How about the bicycle industry? With more families at home looking for activities there is a backlog of bicycles as the manufacturers cannot keep up with the orders. Try and order a NordicTrack treadmill, or a concept-2 rowing machine and you will be put on a waiting list due to the shortage of supply. Mechanical engineers work in all these industries. On the flip side look at some industries tied to travel and vacation. Yes, Boeing took a hit because of their 737 planes being grounded, but also because of the massive decrease in flight travel. So, all that said, I would say the pandemic trend for now would follow the course as such; industries which are negatively affected due to the loss of public activities will continue to struggle or have slow growth, while other industries where the mass public has been redirected will flourish and grow.
Matthew Barry Ph.D.: There are many skills young graduates will need when entering the workforce in the coming years. One of the most important is the use of software, particularly Computer Aided Design (CAD) software in any platform (SolidWorks, CATIA, Autodesk, etc.). CAD is ubiquitous in most engineering jobs and is used by most employees, from draftsmen and machinists to engineers. Students that can proficiently use CAD for constructing parts, models, to set up tooling (such as CAMWorks), construct PCBs, and to do basic analyses (such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA), vibrational analyses and the like) have a tremendous hiring advantage over students that lack these skills. Additionally, students that have experience and proficiency with FEA and/or Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software are in high demand. Finally, in terms of software, students that are able to code (and it doesn't matter what language or software, whether its MATLAB, C, C++, Java, Python) are needed. Most companies develop their own in-house codes and routines to do basic, repetitive tasks, or to develop models that are used in design and analysis. Being able to code is a highly desirable skill. Lastly, students should have some skills and experiences when it comes to hands-on activities. Being a modern engineer requires being able to not only design and analyze something, but to be able to figure out the tooling, assembly, and repair of various components. Having hands-on experience, whether it is with electrical circuitry, machining physical parts, or printing and assembling prototypes, indicates high levels of spatial reasoning, and is a sought after skill by employers.
Matthew Barry Ph.D.: What really stands out on a resume to me is anything related to hands-on experience. I honestly prefer students and potential employees that have hands-on experience and ok grade point averages (GPAs) compared to students with high GPAs and no hands-on experience. And this hands-on experience does not have to come from internships or co-ops, but could be the result of participating in clubs, or being part of a Makerspace, either as a mentor, or a user.

Centenary College of Louisiana
Frost School of Business
Dr. Barbara Davis: Graduates participating in internships related to their areas of interest. Internships spanning more than one semester at the same firm stand out as well.

Dr. Timothy Edwards: Writing and research skills. Analytical and critical thinking skills. Technical skills such as web design, graphic design, audio and video production skills. Employers are interested in potential employees knowledge, intelligence and skills.