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Engineering-Related Fields

Types of Degrees Engineering-Related Fields Majors Are Earning

Those studying Engineering-Related Fields have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	37
Bachelor’s Degree	1,834
Master’s Degree	6,640
Doctor’s Degree	122

What Engineering-Related Fields Majors Need to Know

Studies in Engineering-Related Fields build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Engineering-Related Fields graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Engineering-Related Fields emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Engineering-Related Fields program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Engineering-Related Fields careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Engineering-Related Fields graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Engineering-Related Fields professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Engineering-Related Fields graduates include:

• Instructor
• Associate Professor
• Lecturer
• Assistant Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Engineer
• Refrigeration Engineering Teacher
• Electrical Engineering Lecturer
• Mechanical Engineering Lecturer
• Civil Engineering Professor
• Drafting Teacher
• Architectural Engineering Teacher
• Applied Mechanics Teacher
• Television Engineering Teacher
• Ship Design Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Engineering-Related Fields graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	35.8%
Doctoral degree	16.5%
Master’s degree	11.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.6%
Some college courses	6.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	5.6%
Post-doctoral training	4.6%
Post-master’s certificate	4.5%
Postsecondary certificate	3.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.5%
First professional degree	0.9%
Less than a high school diploma	0.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Engineering-Related Fields?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 67.1% of Engineering-Related Fields degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2,840	32.9%
Men	5,793	67.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Engineering-Related Fields graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	2,925	33.9%
Asian	522	6.0%
Hispanic or Latino	618	7.2%
Black or African American	414	4.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	22	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	5	0.1%
Two or More Races	149	1.7%
Race Unknown	321	3.7%
International Students	3,657	42.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Engineering-Related Fields Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Engineering-Related Fields graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$86,644
4 years	$91,137
5 years	$104,461

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $104,461 — roughly 21% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Engineering-Related Fields Programs

Online study are documented by IPEDS for Engineering-Related Fields. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	3	1
Bachelor’s	15	8
Master’s	57	41
Doctoral (Research)	6	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Engineering-Related Fields Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Engineering-Related Fields graduates earn a median of $91,137 four years after completion — roughly 140% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Engineering Technologies	15
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.01
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.02
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.12
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician	15.10
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.13
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.03
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians	15.04
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians	15.17
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians	15.11
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other	15.99
ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS	15.00

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.