Types of Engineering: Salary Potential, Outlook and Using Your

Degree
Engineering professions typically fall under four different types: chemical, civil, electrical and
mechanical engineering
In broad terms, engineering can be divided into four main categories – chemical, civil, electrical and
mechanical engineering. Each of these types require different skills and engineering educations. 

1. Chemical Engineering
 2020 median salary: $108,540
 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 9%

Chemical engineers use their knowledge of sciences – such as chemistry, biology, physics and math – to
solve problems that affect the use or production of chemicals, food, drugs and more, according to the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). They often work in offices and laboratories, and nearly all of them
work full-time, according to BLS.

Chemical engineers use their knowledge in the sciences as well as manufacturing to bring chemical
processes developed in a laboratory to a commercial or industrial process to create products and then
evaluate and improve those processes, according to the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Chemical engineers translate processes developed in the lab into practical applications for the
commercial production of products and then work to maintain and improve those processes. They rely
on the main foundations of engineering: math, physics and chemistry (though biology is playing an
increasing role). The primary function of chemical engineers is to design and troubleshoot processes for
the production of chemicals, fuels, foods, pharmaceuticals and biologicals, just to name a few. They are
most often employed by large-scale manufacturing plants to maximize productivity and product quality
while minimizing costs.

Similar occupations include biomedical or nuclear engineering and occupational and health safety
specialists or technicians, according to BLS.

2. Civil Engineering
 2020 median salary: $88,570 
 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 8%

Civil engineers solve infrastructure problems. The projects they design, build and maintain span a wide
range in both the public and private sector, including bridges, roads, tunnels, dams, and water and
sewer systems, according to BLS. Infrastructure such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Erie Canal and the
Thames Tunnel in London were all made possible because of the work of civil engineers. Those are just
three on a list of dozens of civil engineering landmarks listed by the American Society of Civil Engineers
(ASCE).

They often split their time between an office and project sites. Similar occupations include construction
manager, landscape architect and urban or regional planning, according to BLS.
3. Electrical Engineering
 2020 median salary: $103,390
 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 7%

Electrical engineers focus on the design, testing and manufacturing of electrical components, such as
motors, navigation, communications systems and power generation, according to BLS. They work in a
range of industries, including research, manufacturing, telecommunications and more.

Electrical engineering is one of the industries broadest fields, which means what you can do varies
widely from one sector to another. From working with circuits, making computers and other electronics
used to build fiber-optic networks or vision sensors for cars, many disciplines employ electrical
engineers.

Similar occupations include electrician, biomedical engineer, and architectural and engineering
manager, according to BLS.

4. Mechanical Engineering
 2020 median salary: $90,160
 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 7%

Mechanical engineers design, build and develop mechanical and thermal sensing devices, such as
engines, tools and machines. Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest of the engineering fields,
according to BLS, and they can be found a huge range of products from electric generators to batteries
to refrigeration systems.

Mechanical engineers analyze projects to determine how a mechanical device can be used and then
design and test machines to help the project. They can also investigate equipment that has failed to
determine how part of the mechanics needs to be repaired, according to BLS.

Other similar occupations include materials engineer, petroleum engineer and mechanical engineering
technician, according to BLS.

Other Kinds of Engineering

There are nearly as many types of engineers as there are industries overall. Here's an overview of a
dozen specific types of engineering.

Aerospace Engineering

 2020 median salary: $118,610

 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 8%
 Aerospace engineers specialize in designing spacecraft, aircraft, satellites and missiles. They also
create and test prototypes to make sure they function properly to the design and meet quality
standards, according to BLS.

Agricultural Engineering
  2020 median salary: $84,410
 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 5%
 Agricultural engineers work to ensure power supplies, machinery, structure and facilities as well
as pollution and environmental issues concerning agriculture are running efficiently, according
to BLS.

Biomedical Engineering

 2020 median salary: $92,620

 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 6%
 Biomedical and bioengineers work to combine engineering and science to research, design and
create equipment, computer systems and software spanning a number of science fields,
according to BLS.

Computer Hardware Engineering

 2020 median salary: $119,560

 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 2%
 Computer hardware engineers work with different computer systems and components such as
circuit boards, processors, networks and routers to make sure they work together with the
latest software. They research, design and develop these systems, according to BLS.

Environmental Engineering

 2020 median salary: $92,120

 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 4%
 Environmental engineers work to improve environmental issues globally such as unsafe drinking
water, climate change, public and sustainability by combining the principles of biology,
chemistry, soil science and engineering, according to BLS.

Health and Safety Engineering

 2020 median salary: $94,240

 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 6%
 Health and safety engineers combine engineering, health and safety to develop and design
systems to protect peopleand properties from harm, illness and injury. They ensure the safety of
products such as machinery, software and chemicals, according to BLS.

Industrial Engineering

 2020 median salary: $88,950

 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 14%
 Industrial engineers design systems that combine workers, machines and more to create a
product or service to efficiently eliminate wastefulness in production processes, according to
BLS.
Marine Engineering

 2020 median salary: $95,440

 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Job outlook through 2030: 4%
 Marine engineers care for the internal systems of a ship including the electrical, steering
systems and more. They also design and build the ships such as submarines, sailboats and
tankers, according to BLS.

Materials Engineering

 2020 median salary: $95,640

 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 8%
 Materials engineers study the properties and structures of metals, ceramics, plastics and more.
They monitor how new materials perform and design testing procedures for a number of
different materials in products ranging from computer chips, aircraft wings and golf clubs,
according to BLS.

Mining and Geological Engineering

 2020 median salary: $93,800

 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 4%
 Mining engineers design and work in mineral mines and sand-and-gravel quarries to ensure the
removal of minerals such as coal and metals is done in a safe and efficient way for
manufacturing and utility use, according to BLS.

Nuclear Engineering

 2020 median salary: $116,140

 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Nuclear engineers work on different systems and instruments that can derive the benefits of
nuclear energy. They research and develop nuclear equipment for a number of different
industries from medical treatments, ships and spacecraft, according to BLS.

Petroleum Engineering

 2020 median salary: $137,330

 Typical required education: Bachelor’s degree
 Job growth outlook through 2030: 8%
 Petroleum engineers work to extract oil and gas from below Earth’s surface by designing and
developing new methods, according to BLS.