Areas of Study in Engineering

The engineering field is a broad field with many areas of study. Below we have outlined the different areas of study within engineering.

Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineers design, develop, test and research electrical equipment and components. Electrical engineers study electronics, digital computers, power engineering, telecommunications, control systems, rf engineering, signal processing, instrumentation and microelectronics. Electrical engineers typically hold a degree in electrical or electronic engineering.

Electrical engineers earn on average $93k/year according to the bureau of labor statistics, the top 10% of earners with electrical engineering degrees bring home in excess of $139/k year. The top employers of electrical engineering degree holders are architectural engineering firms, power generation transmission and distribution companies, semiconductor and other electronic manufacturers, navigational measuring electro medical and control instruments manufacturing companies and scientific and research development services companies.

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineers design tools, engines, machines and other mechanically functioning equipment. The average salary for a mechanical engineer in 2013 was $85k/year. The top 10% of mechanical engineers make in excess of $123k/year.

Mechanical engineers go on to work for architectural, engineering, aerospace and motor vehicle manufacturers. Mechanical engineers may find themselves building engines and transmissions to tools or industrial machines.

Computer Engineering

Computer engineers design and develop equipment for computers that are used in commercial, industrial, military and scientific use. Besides the hardware that the computer needs to run, a computer engineer may also write software to be run on their hardware.

According to a report released by the bureau of labor statistics, computer engineers make on average $107k/year while the top 10% make in excess of $150k/year.

Civil Engineering

Civil engineers plan, design and oversee the construction and maintenance of buildings, roads, railroads, airports and other structures.

On average someone with a civil engineering degree working in the field will earn $85k/year, the top 10% of civil engineers will make in excess of $126k/year.

Financial Engineering

Financial engineering involves theory, engineering, mathematics and computer programming. Financial engineers apply technical methods to assets to figure out an assets true value and to predict rises and drops in assets.

Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineers apply their understanding of biology to evaluate health systems and products.

Someone working in the biomedical engineering industry can expect to make on average $94k/year with the top 10% of biomedical engineers making in excess of $143/year.

Chemical Engineering

Chemical engineers work with chemicals such as gasoline, plastics, detergents, paper and synthetic products. Chemical engineers devise products and design chemical plant equipment for the processing of chemicals

Chemical engineers make on average $104k/year, with the top 10% of chemical engineers bringing home in excess of $158k/year.

Industrial Engineering

Industrial engineers design and develop integrated systems for industrial use.

On average someone with an industrial engineering degree will make $83k/year with the top 10% earning over $119k/year.

Marine Engineering

Marine engineers design and develop machinery for marine vessels.

On average marine engineers make $94k/year with the top 10% of marine engineers bringing home over $140k/year.

Automotive Engineering

Sound Engineering

Sound engineers operate equipment that mixes, reproduces, or creates music and sound effects.

On average someone who is a sound engineer will bring home around $56k/year with the top 10% of sound engineers making over $101k/year.