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Job outlook for student engineers in the United States
Are student engineer jobs in demand?
Student engineer job and salary trends over time
Student engineer jobs over time
Student engineer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,719 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,816 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,896 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 1,874 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 1,799 | 0.00% |
Average student engineer salary over time
Student engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $71,947 | $34.59 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $70,566 | $33.93 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $69,720 | $33.52 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $68,531 | $32.95 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $67,183 | $32.30 | +0.7% |
Student engineer jobs by state
Most common states for student engineers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 438 | 63% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 268 | 28% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,674 | 24% |
| 4 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,931 | 23% |
| 5 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 924 | 22% |
| 6 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,523 | 21% |
| 7 | Vermont | 623,657 | 134 | 21% |
| 8 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,228 | 20% |
| 9 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,127 | 20% |
| 10 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 262 | 20% |
| 11 | California | 39,536,653 | 7,451 | 19% |
| 12 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 142 | 19% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,006 | 18% |
| 14 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 102 | 18% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 519 | 17% |
| 16 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,090 | 16% |
| 17 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 565 | 16% |
| 18 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 490 | 16% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 165 | 16% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 109 | 15% |
Most common cities for student engineers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterloo | 4 | 6% | $65,157 |
| 2 | Dubuque | 3 | 5% | $65,593 |
| 3 | Urbandale | 2 | 5% | $64,307 |
| 4 | Cambridge | 3 | 3% | $82,854 |
| 5 | Ames | 2 | 3% | $64,541 |
| 6 | Lexington | 1 | 3% | $82,792 |
| 7 | Ankeny | 1 | 2% | $64,382 |
| 8 | Ann Arbor | 1 | 1% | $72,896 |
| 9 | Canton | 1 | 1% | $71,739 |
| 10 | Champaign | 1 | 1% | $75,039 |
| 11 | Edison | 1 | 1% | $80,595 |
| 12 | Huntsville | 1 | 1% | $67,097 |
| 13 | Livonia | 1 | 1% | $73,007 |
| 14 | Pasadena | 1 | 1% | $80,116 |
| 15 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $64,316 |
| 16 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $80,151 |
Student Engineer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of student engineer experts
Seattle University
University of Minnesota - Duluth
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Weber State University
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of South Alabama
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Cincinnati State Technical & Community College
San Jose State University
Dillard University
University of Utah
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Christopher Misorski FASM
Brunswick Technical Fellow-Materials Product Development & EngineeringWhat will help Student Engineers increase their earning potential?
Christopher Misorski FASM: Maximizing salary potential at the start of your career is not a clear pathway generally. One way that you can be considered more valuable, and hence worth a better salary, is to have participated in a co-op or internship program with a company in your field. This experience gives employers some confidence that you were able to carry out assignments and thrive in a workplace environment. The employer that you worked for may be inclined to offer you a position upon graduation and you are now worth more because you have already proven to them your abilities. Even if they don’t offer you a job (no appropriate open position may be available) your ability to discuss your experiences with the HR recruiter or hiring manager at another company can instill confidence in your selection as a hire. Just remember, if you tell them you did a project, be prepared to explain it so it doesn’t appear you were just in the background of this project, just going along for the ride.
What Student Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Thomas Congedo PhD: That comes from your ability to focus on technical product of the highest quality, always seeking to truly understand the customer’s needs. For example, often a customer will phrase a problem by stating the solution he or she assumes. Taking the time to respectfully draw out the thinking further can make you the customer’s hero, and this makes you the person likely to be selected for the challenging and most rewarded assignments.
Jhon Smith
Associate Professor and Director of MS in Structural EngineeringSeattle University
Civil Engineering
What general advice would you give to a Student Engineer?
Jhon Smith: Do not be afraid to ask questions to your supervisors (although do not take it to an extreme and become demanding—show initiative). You get the fundamentals of engineering at school and you are equipped to use them but it takes a few years to feel comfortable. Engineering is a profession of practice and it is only through practice that you best learn it.
What Student Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jhon Smith: Expand your network, join professional organizations and committees, become valuable in whatever company you work for, never stop learning, seek for opportunities for professional work, get your PE license. After these you will become more valuable naturally and could comfortably ask for a promotion or a salary increase because you’d know you deserve it.
What will help Student Engineers increase their earning potential?
Richard Davis: Engineering offers career opportunities across various industries, from technology and healthcare to infrastructure and environmental sustainability. With technological advancements and the increasing complexity of global challenges, such as climate change, food and clean water, and urbanization, engineers are in high demand to develop innovative solutions. For example, environmental engineers are crucial in developing sustainable solutions to reduce pollution and conserve resources. Engineering provides opportunities for creativity and problem-solving, making it a rewarding career choice for those who enjoy tackling complex problems. The global focus on sustainability and renewable energy presents exciting prospects for engineers to contribute to meaningful projects that positively impact society and the environment.
What general advice would you give to a Student Engineer?
Mishah Salman Ph.D.: An underappreciated skill that I think will become more sought-after is the ability to validate computer-made decisions and their shortcomings. With the growing prominence of AI use in design, problem solving, and decision making, the engineering field will need experts to error-check decisions made using these technologies. Sometimes there are unexplored gaps that these technologies overlook, and sometimes there are biases or inappropriate assumptions baked into AI-based results. Humans are inherently imaginative and creative. We excel at picking up on things that computer algorithms may miss. Talented experts that recognize and address these issues will remain invaluable in the workforce. Another indispensable skill that is often overlooked in engineering is effective interpersonal communication. Whether in a teamwork context, a leadership role, or a client interaction, competent communication is crucial. This can take the form of conversation, live presentations, written correspondence, and beyond. People that hone their communication skills are often recognized, and tend to be the individuals that are promoted to more senior roles.
What Student Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mansooreh Mollaghasemi Ph.D.: Concurrent with building technical skills, they must build soft skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. These skills are often the differentiators between good and great engineers.
What will help Student Engineers increase their earning potential?
Megumi Usui: Even after obtaining a degree, it is crucial to recognize that continuous learning is a fundamental aspect of professional development in the workplace. One must cultivate an open-minded attitude and demonstrate a willingness to acquire new knowledge and skills at any time and in any context. Effective communication with colleagues and clients is essential for successful collaboration and project execution. It is important to understand that the professional environment is significantly different from the academic setting. In a company, the focus is delivering work that meets the expectations and standards set by the employer and satisfies the needs of clients, rather than merely fulfilling personal criteria. Furthermore, it is imperative to produce high-quality work consistently. Mediocre performance is unacceptable, and organizations will not hesitate to seek replacements if the work delivered does not meet their standards. Ensuring that your work is thorough, precise, and aligns with the company's objectives is critical for maintaining the position and advancing their career.
What general advice would you give to a Student Engineer?
Michael Denn: 1. Become the expert in whatever you do. 2. Understand how your work fits into the bigger picture and keep that in mind when you do your work. 3. Keep learning! Your engineering degree is not the end of your education! 4. Take stretch assignments and opportunities whenever you can.
What will help Student Engineers increase their earning potential?
Michael Denn: The answers to this question are largely the same as the answer to question 1. However, here are some additional points: 1. Excel in your job. Become the person everyone goes to for whatever type of work you do. 2. Develop and maintain a career plan. Make sure your assignments and tasks align with your plan. When you have the opportunity to change positions, keep you plan in mind.
Edmund Spencer
Associate ProfessorUniversity of South Alabama
Electrical, Electronics, And Communications Engineering
What Student Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Edmund Spencer: Look for jobs that have the highest technical content, and try to develop entrepreneurial skills early.
Uises Gonzalez-Valle
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
What will help Student Engineers increase their earning potential?
Uises Gonzalez-Valle: The beginning of professional life is not simple independent of the career path that you follow and ME and MET can have their own complications. However, some good advice would be to develop independence and adaptability which are key traits of an engineer, and always keep yourself updated with the most recent technological developments. If you are independent and adaptable, you have all the skills to learn and further your professional development. In addition, I would say it is essential to start building a network, including peers and mentors. Having a strong network of peers and mentors helps you significantly to progress in your professional line. From day-to-day to daily changing decisions, having a strong network to support would significantly help in building your professional path. Lastly, I would say that having a good Work-life balance is vital too, since our personal life is as important as our professional life. Remember, we should work to live instead of live to work.
Mike DeVore Ph.D.
Professor & Program ChairCincinnati State Technical & Community College
Mechanical Engineering Technology
What hard/technical skills are most important for Student Engineers?
Mike DeVore Ph.D.: -Computer-Aided Design
-Knowledge of manufacturing processes
-A good mathematics foundation
-Technical communication
-Problem solving
What will help Student Engineers increase their earning potential?
David Wagner: I see graduates benefit the most when they learn skills, apply those skills, and communicate how those skills helped them. While this is much easier said than done and it can be time-consuming to learn skills in addition to your education, there is absolutely no substitute for a person that has accrued knowledge and its application and then knows how to use it to their benefit. Certifications, learning badges, project applications, and even letters of recommendation convey to people that you know aspects of your discipline well and can apply them to other disciplines and jobs seamlessly. Skills get you hired; success gets you promoted; you get yourself paid.
Lovell Agwaramgbo Ph.D.
Professor of ChemistryDillard University
Department of Chemistry
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Student Engineers?
Lovell Agwaramgbo Ph.D.: There may be a short term, negative impact of COVID-19 on graduates with respect to employment, emotional drain, and experiences. The severity of these depend on how soon the pandemic is contained, how quickly the economy recovers, and when the hiring freeze is lifted. Unfortunately, graduates will be impacted differently. Graduates with social network, resources, and right skills will find jobs and adapt faster than their counterparts with skills not sought after. Those with experience in computer and data science, information, and other technology related areas will find employment easier. Graduates who majored in areas that require face to face skills such as chemistry, where experiments require personal interaction with chemicals and analysis tools, would be affected more than those who can work from remote sites. For us, it was essential that we expose our students to the needed hands-on experiences, skills and techniques in chemistry. To maintain social distancing our laboratory occupancy dropped to 50% or less in order for us to have face to face laboratory activities.
At Dillard University, the pandemic metaphorically moved our good old sweet cheese (as in the fable "who moved my cheese"? by Spencer Johnson) and imposed on us Zoom, Google Meet, Canvas, Pronto and other different learning platforms. Like Scurry and Sniff, we tried to find new cheese source with the hope of finding opportunity, satisfaction, collaboration, engagement, and creativity in those new teaching and learning platforms. Similarly, graduates who take inventory of their skills and knowledge but also have passion, determination, discipline and strong work ethic will always find ways to overcome any shortcomings posed by the pandemic. Zoom job interviews and meetings and hybrid work schedule models will be lasting impacts of the pandemic. However, like Hem and Hall, graduates who find it difficult to adapt and see opportunity in such a change will feel betrayed, disappointed, lost, and probably depressed.
The pandemic created hardship for everyone including the graduates and industries alike, but it also created new opportunities. In the February edition of the chemical and engineering news, it was reported that employment for those with bachelor's degree was lowest in 2020 due to the pandemic as many industries initiated hiring freeze. Thus, with the current employment for new graduates dips southbound from pre-pandemic level, I recommend that graduates should consider graduate education or certification in areas that will add value to their skills, employability and earning potential as options. Certainly, the clouds of the pandemic will soon clear and the sun will shine again for those who are prepared.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Student Engineers?
Anthony Butterfield: I think the pandemic has taught all of us new tricks and we've overcome the activation barrier to working and meeting remotely. I think the new engineering workplace will be one in which the physical location matter even less. This, of course, means the list of possible employers may grow for graduates who wish to remain in their hometown, but so will the competition for those positions that allow remote work.
What technical skills for a Student Engineer stand out to employers?
Anthony Butterfield: I would say the skills that stand out in an interview and early on in someone's career would be:
-Strong conceptual understanding of core engineering concepts. Knowing the exact form of, say, the fluid dynamics equation you need to use is less important than having a reflexive understanding of the relationship between pressure and flowrate. You can look up exact equations quickly, but foundational conceptual understanding of the physics needs to be at the ready.
-The ability to apply their technical understanding to innovate. Many students will graduate with the same ability to code, and the same understanding from core engineering courses. The skill that will bring extraordinary value to your workplace is the ability to creatively apply that knowledge.
-The ability to quickly and flexibly pick up new technical skills. People want new employees who are able to quickly pin down the gaps in their understanding, seek out the resources they need to connect it to what they do know, and then assimilate that new skill or concept into their work.
Charles Jenckes
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
Mechanical Engineering
What skills stand out on Student Engineer resumes?
Charles Jenckes: For new graduates
1.Where the candidate went to school and what was studied
2.GPA
3.Any successful internships
4.Projects completed by the student
How would you rate the starting salaries for Student Engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Daisy Huang: Above average, but you won't be a millionaire easily (you can with some effort, saving, and investing well). It is very unlikely you'll ever be *super* wealthy, but it's also very unlikely you'll ever not find employment in your field. You'll have a solid ticket to a modestly comfortable life, with some luxuries, too.
What experience really stands out on Student Engineer resumes?
Dr. Richard Onyancha: Besides having a good GPA, a student's application is tremendously enhanced by internships and any other extra curricula experiences, such as being a member of a competition team, leadership experience and any other specific experiences, such as appropriate independent study experiences that the student can speak about. Sometimes all these other experiences can compensate for a below average GPA. For some companies, demonstrating that you have participated in meaningful international experiences can be that thing that puts you over the competition.