Professional engineer demographics and statistics in the US
Professional engineer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates professional engineer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our professional engineer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about professional engineers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 4,889 professional engineers currently employed in the United States.
- 12.5% of all professional engineers are women, while 87.5% are men.
- The average professional engineer age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of professional engineers is White (66.8%), followed by Asian (12.6%), Hispanic or Latino (11.7%) and Unknown (4.7%).
- In 2022, women earned 97% of what men earned.
- 5% of all professional engineers are LGBT.
- Professional engineers are 56% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Professional engineer demographics by:
Professional engineer gender statistics
12.5% of professional engineers are women and 87.5% of professional engineers are men.
- Male, 87.5%
- Female, 12.5%
Professional engineer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 87.5% |
| Female | 12.5% |
Professional engineer gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$80,288
Female income
$77,933
Professional engineer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in professional engineer positions over time. Currently, 12.5% of professional engineers are female.
Professional engineer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 91.01% | 8.99% |
| 2011 | 91.20% | 8.80% |
| 2012 | 92.12% | 7.88% |
| 2013 | 91.11% | 8.89% |
| 2014 | 90.59% | 9.41% |
| 2015 | 90.54% | 9.46% |
| 2016 | 90.92% | 9.08% |
| 2017 | 89.40% | 10.60% |
| 2018 | 90.53% | 9.47% |
| 2019 | 89.09% | 10.91% |
| 2020 | 88.17% | 11.83% |
| 2021 | 87.46% | 12.54% |
Professional engineer related jobs gender ratio
We compared professional engineers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, senior electronics design engineer and refrigeration engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Engineer | 11% | 89% |
| Professional Engineer | 87% | 13% |
| Machine Tool Designer | 99% | 1% |
| Refrigeration Engineer | 99% | 1% |
| Senior Electronics Design Engineer | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Professional engineer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among professional engineers is White, which makes up 66.8% of all professional engineers. Comparatively, 12.6% of professional engineers are Asian and 11.7% of professional engineers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 66.8%
- Asian, 12.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 11.7%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- Black or African American, 4.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Professional engineer race
| Professional engineer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.8% |
| Asian | 12.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.7% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| Black or African American | 4.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Professional engineer race and ethnicity over time
See how professional engineer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Professional engineer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.39% | 4.85% | 10.80% | 8.72% |
| 2011 | 75.07% | 3.72% | 9.99% | 8.52% |
| 2012 | 73.00% | 4.66% | 10.36% | 9.32% |
| 2013 | 74.08% | 4.15% | 10.28% | 9.08% |
| 2014 | 73.33% | 4.54% | 10.80% | 8.76% |
| 2015 | 73.63% | 3.63% | 10.87% | 9.28% |
| 2016 | 72.06% | 3.77% | 11.45% | 10.15% |
| 2017 | 72.34% | 4.38% | 11.19% | 9.70% |
| 2018 | 72.52% | 4.28% | 10.28% | 10.54% |
| 2019 | 71.01% | 4.51% | 11.29% | 10.55% |
| 2020 | 68.61% | 3.84% | 11.20% | 11.56% |
| 2021 | 66.80% | 3.98% | 12.55% | 11.67% |
Professional engineer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian professional engineers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american professional engineers have the lowest average salary at $76,546.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $81,680 |
| White | $81,305 |
| Black or African American | $76,546 |
| Asian | $82,615 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $79,440 |
Average professional engineer age
See how the average age of professional engineers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Professional engineer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 37 | 32 |
| White | 40 | 35 |
| Black or African American | 42 | 34.5 |
| Asian | 41 | 34 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 32 |
Professional engineer age breakdown
The average age of professional engineers is 40+ years years old, representing 48% of the professional engineer population.
Professional engineer age breakdown
| Professional Engineer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 48% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Professional engineer educational attainment
The most common degree for professional engineers is bachelor's degree, with 77% of professional engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 13% and master's degree degree at 5%.
- Bachelor's, 77%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Professional engineers by degree level
| Professional engineer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 77% |
| Master's | 13% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Doctorate | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Professional engineer jobs you might like
Professional engineer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, professional engineers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $94,048 annually. With a Doctorate degree, professional engineers earn a median annual income of $93,402 compared to $85,171 for professional engineers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $94,048 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $85,171 |
| Doctorate Degree | $93,402 |
Professional engineer employment statistics
Most professional engineers work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where professional engineers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where professional engineers work.
Professional engineer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 20% |
Professional engineer jobs by company type
Employees with the professional engineer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most professional engineers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Professional engineer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 9% |
| Public | 19% |
| Private | 56% |
| Government | 15% |
Professional engineer jobs by industry
The most common industries for professional engineers are professional, government and technology.
Professional engineer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 18% |
| Government | 13% |
| Technology | 13% |
| Fortune 500 | 9% |
| Education | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Construction | 6% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Professional engineer turnover and employment statistics
Professional engineer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for professional engineers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Professional engineer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Professional engineer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.06% |
| 2011 | 3.46% |
| 2012 | 3.60% |
| 2013 | 2.77% |
| 2014 | 2.58% |
| 2015 | 1.81% |
| 2016 | 2.11% |
| 2017 | 1.73% |
| 2018 | 1.48% |
| 2019 | 1.25% |
| 2020 | 1.62% |
| 2021 | 1.69% |
Average professional engineer tenure
The average professional engineer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,042 professional engineers resumes in Zippia's database.
Professional engineer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 13% |
| 1-2 years | 28% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 23% |
Professional engineer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of professional engineers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Component Engineer | 3.67% | 49,923 |
| Professional Engineer | 4.76% | - |
| Reactor Projects Engineer | 5.25% | 5,025 |
| Electrical Systems Designer | 6.39% | 126,502 |
| Vibration Engineer | 7.54% | 21,285 |
| Monomer Recovery Supervisor | 8.92% | 26,999 |
| Material Engineer | 10.43% | 89,717 |
Similar professional engineer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Component Engineer | 3.67% | 49,923 |
| Reactor Projects Engineer | 5.25% | 5,025 |
| Electrical Systems Designer | 6.39% | 126,502 |
| Vibration Engineer | 7.54% | 21,285 |
| Monomer Recovery Supervisor | 8.92% | 26,999 |
| Material Engineer | 10.43% | 89,717 |
Foreign languages spoken by professional engineers
The most common foreign language among professional engineers is Spanish at 47.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Carrier at 9.8% and French is the third-most popular at 6.6%.
- Spanish, 47.5%
- Carrier, 9.8%
- French, 6.6%
- German, 4.9%
- Arabic, 4.9%
- Other, 26.3%
Professional engineer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 47.5% |
| Carrier | 9.8% |
| French | 6.6% |
| German | 4.9% |
| Arabic | 4.9% |
| Other | 26.3% |
