According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook in the near future is positive for engineers. In 2008, it was determined that employment would increase by 11 percent, which is about equal to the average growth of all jobs in the United States. As technology expands, engineers will be a commodity given their expertise in their fields. Demand will increase and supply will need to keep pace. Therefore new jobs should continue to arise.

Civil engineers may benefit the most: they should see the largest increase in employment – 24 percent – of all engineering fields as a result of America’s rapidly growing population. Biomedical engineers have been projected to experience the fastest growth at 72 percent due to the recent concerns regarding health issues. Other fields expecting double-digit percentage growth include petroleum, nuclear, industrial, environmental, agricultural, health and safety, and mining and geological engineering.

Chemical engineers are the only group expecting a decline in employment – two percent – because the chemical manufacturing industry is expected to decline as a whole. It’s best for those who are pursuing careers in chemical engineering to consider entry into a service-providing industry, where growth is still expected. Currently, jobs in bioengineering, nanomaterials and alternative energy are newer and more in demand.

It should be noted that the two main trends that are preventing faster growth: the decline of old technologies and manufacturing industries, and the globalization of new technology. While many American engineers receive high pay for their specialized work, many more engineers in foreign countries, like India, are willing to do more work for less pay. New methods of communication have made it easier for people to work together from all corners of the globe.

Those who have achieved careers in engineering enjoy higher salaries relative to the rest of the workforce. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, average annual salaries for engineers range from $81,085 to $126,788. The highest 10 percent of petroleum engineers earn an average salary of $166,400; more than the top ten percent on any other engineering field. Across the board, petroleum engineers earn the most money. On the other hand, health and safety (excluding mining safety engineers and inspectors), agricultural and industrial engineers make the least amount of money; typically from the low $40,000 range to just above $100,000. Still, their salaries are higher than most occupations.

The grueling work that goes into achieving a bachelor’s degree pays off immediately – literally. Engineers’ starting salaries are among the best of new college graduates. Beginning engineers are usually offered more than $50,000 right out of school. Of course, petroleum engineers have the highest entry level salary offers by far, averaging $83, 121 per offer; nearly $20,000 more than the next highest average of $64,902 offered to chemical engineers.