What is a graduate engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Daniel Solis Ph.D.

A graduate engineer is an individual who has completed a degree in engineering and is entering the workforce. They are responsible for designing, creating, and maintaining various structures and systems. Their job involves using their technical knowledge to solve problems and develop innovative solutions. They may work in a variety of industries, such as construction, manufacturing, or technology. Overall, their role is critical in ensuring that engineering projects are completed efficiently and effectively.

What general advice would you give to a graduate engineer?

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.

ScoreGraduate EngineerUS Average

Salary

5.5

Avg. Salary $70,395

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.7

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.18%

Asian 24.89%

Black or African American 4.13%

Hispanic or Latino 8.97%

Unknown 4.56%

White 57.26%

Gender

female 22.66%

male 77.34%

Age - 44

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 - 44

Stress level

5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.2

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a graduate engineer?

Pros

Opportunity to apply knowledge gained during studies
Room for professional development and growth
Potential for high salary and benefits
Chance to work on innovative projects
Exposure to industry leaders and experts

Cons

High workload and long working hours
High stress and pressure to deliver results
Limited work-life balance
Challenging work environment with tight deadlines and schedules
Frequent travel or relocation may be required

Key steps to become a graduate engineer

Explore graduate engineer education requirements

Most common graduate engineer degrees

Bachelor's

82.6 %

Master's

13.9 %

Diploma

1.9 %

Start to develop specific graduate engineer skills

Skills	Percentages
Civil 3D	11.46%
Cost Estimates	10.29%
Project Management	6.77%
GIS	5.96%
C++	5.17%

Complete relevant graduate engineer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New graduate engineers 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 a graduate engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real graduate engineer resumes.

Research graduate engineer duties and responsibilities

Lead the correction of production critical issues to increase beer availability, productivity, OEE and machine availability.
Design fixtures and tools using SolidWorks.
Field experience working on HMI, Bosch and Siemens PLC and vary sensors.
Support the acceptance testing for the PLC programming, control panels and remote I/O panels.

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