Science & Engineering · Facts & Figures
U.S. Engineering Workforce & Pay
Explore the scale of the U.S. engineering workforce, employment by discipline, wage differences, and the technicians who support engineering work.
Interactive comparison
Engineering employment by discipline
Switch between employment scale and annual mean pay for major engineering disciplines.
Engineering disciplines
Industrial and civil engineering are the largest named engineering disciplines
| Engineering occupation | Employment | Mean annual wage | Median hourly wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial engineers | 365,740 | $109,900 | $49.25 |
| Civil engineers | 367,840 | $108,670 | $48.48 |
| Mechanical engineers | 296,810 | $113,610 | $50.05 |
| Electrical engineers | 198,750 | $125,100 | $58.00 |
| Electronics engineers, except computer | 96,900 | $137,280 | $62.60 |
| Computer hardware engineers | 76,660 | $162,670 | $77.76 |
| Aerospace engineers | 67,710 | $142,060 | $64.89 |
| Environmental engineers | 38,340 | $112,910 | $51.50 |
| Bioengineers & biomedical engineers | 23,480 | $116,890 | $52.58 |
| Chemical engineers | 21,070 | $129,980 | $60.12 |
| Petroleum engineers | 18,060 | $157,150 | $69.67 |
| Nuclear engineers | 15,280 | $140,420 | $64.41 |
Technical workforce
Engineering work extends well beyond engineers
The architecture and engineering occupational group includes engineers, architects, surveyors, drafters, technicians, and related technical occupations.
Pay range
Specialization produces large differences in engineering pay
These are national occupational averages, not starting salaries. Actual pay varies by experience, geography, industry, employer, education, licensure, and specialty.
What the data shows
Engineering is a large, diverse technical workforce rather than a single occupation
BLS counted about 2.62 million architecture and engineering jobs in May 2025, including 1.80 million engineers. Civil, industrial, mechanical, and electrical engineering account for a substantial share of the named engineering workforce, while high-paying specialties such as computer hardware, petroleum, aerospace, and nuclear engineering are much smaller.
The data also show the importance of engineering technologists, technicians, drafters, and mapping professionals who support design, testing, production, construction, and infrastructure work.
Methodology & source
About these figures
Figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program for May 2025. OEWS produces employment and wage estimates for approximately 830 occupations and publishes national, state, metropolitan, nonmetropolitan, and industry-specific estimates. Values shown here are national cross-industry estimates.
Source: BLS — May 2025 National Employment and Wage Data · OEWS Tables.
CalculateMeasure refresh: Aug. 22, 2026 · Review cadence: Annual, with source-triggered review when BLS releases the next OEWS vintage.
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