highest paying engineering jobs

 highest paying engineering jobs 

An impressive 87 percent of professional engineers report being "satisfied to very satisfied" with their job.1 But that's only one reason to choose a career path in engineering. There are many considerations when choosing a focus, but pay is certainly a key factor in planning for your future. In terms of median pay and growth potential, these are the 10 highest paying engineering jobs to consider.

1. Big Data Engineer

The rise of big data has provided significant business opportunities, but complex data sets have no meaning if they're not structured in a comprehensible manner. Enter the big data engineer, tasked with creating the hardware and system architecture that enables others to interpret and utilize data. With a median annual salary of $155,500, big data means big opportunities for engineers.2

2. Petroleum Engineer

Petroleum engineers develop methods for extracting petroleum and natural gas from the ground, and then use those materials to create energy efficiently and cleanly. With a median salary of $132,280, petroleum engineer is one of the highest paying engineering jobs of 2019. The field is also projected to grow much faster than the average career over the next five to 10 years.3

3. Computer Hardware Engineer

With a median pay of $115,120, this highly technical field involves designing and developing computer systems and components such as processors, circuit boards and memory devices.4 Computer hardware engineering is an excellent field for analytical problem solvers with an interest in mathematics or physics.5

4. Aerospace Engineer

This is one career where you get to say "actually, it is rocket science." Aerospace engineers design and build aircraft, spacecraft, missiles and satellites. Design skills are a must, as well as sharp analytical skills and problem sensitivity.6 Median pay in 2017 was reported at $113,030.7

5. Nuclear Engineer

Nuclear engineers research, design and develop the tools and instruments needed to utilize nuclear energy.8 They're responsible for safely directing the operations of nuclear energy facilities and must be comfortable with a high degree of complexity. In 2017, median pay was reported at $105,810, landing nuclear engineers in the top five highest paying engineering jobs.9

6. Systems Engineer

Systems engineers manage the technical infrastructure of a company, maintaining all of the hardware and software required to keep the business moving forward. If you have strong communication skills and an ability to translate technical information to nontechnical teams, consider this career path, which has an estimated average annual