General Engineering: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
General Engineering offers a flexible, interdisciplinary foundation for students seeking to develop broad technical expertise across multiple engineering domains. This program equips learners with the analytical and problem-solving skills needed to address complex real-world challenges in diverse sectors such as manufacturing, infrastructure, public services, and business innovation.
- Mathematical Modeling: Applying advanced mathematics to represent and analyze engineering systems and processes.
- Scientific Principles: Utilizing core concepts from physics, chemistry, and materials science to inform design and development.
- Systems Integration: Designing and managing interconnected components within larger technological frameworks.
- Design and Prototyping: Developing functional solutions through iterative design, testing, and refinement.
- Project Management: Planning, executing, and evaluating engineering projects within technical, economic, and regulatory constraints.
- Interdisciplinary Problem Solving: Addressing multifaceted challenges by combining insights from various engineering disciplines.
General Engineering Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
General Engineering Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with General Engineering degrees, including Architectural and Engineering Managers, Engineers, All Other and Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 401,000 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers 11-9041 | $167,740 | $111,450 - $239,200 | 210,340 | $80.64 |
| Engineers, All Other 17-2199 | $117,750 | $62,840 - $183,510 | 150,750 | $56.61 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1032 | $106,120 | $59,790 - $200,650 | 39,910 | N/A |
General Engineering Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $103,617 in Arkansas to $153,590 in New Mexico—a 48% difference. The highest-paying states include New Mexico, California, and District of Columbia. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 401,000 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for General Engineering by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering General Engineering programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in General Engineering is found at University at Buffalo (UB) (473 graduates), University of Maryland (UMCP), College Park (390 graduates), Northeastern University (NU) (388 graduates), University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) (248 graduates), and Brown University (209 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 7,318 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University at Buffalo (UB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
473 | Buffalo, New York | Public | buffalo.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMCP) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
390 | College Park, Maryland | Public | umd.edu |
| Northeastern University (NU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
388 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) |
Bachelor's
|
248 | Detroit, Michigan | Private | udmercy.edu |
| Brown University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
209 | Providence, Rhode Island | Private | brown.edu |
| Dartmouth College |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
205 | Hanover, New Hampshire | Private | dartmouth.edu |
| University of California (UCLA) |
Master's
|
194 | Los Angeles, California | Public | ucla.edu |
| Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) |
Associate's
|
193 | Annandale, Virginia | Public | nvcc.edu |
| Lamar University (LU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
166 | Beaumont, Texas | Public | lamar.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
155 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
154 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Master's
|
127 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| University of Houston (UH) |
Master's
|
125 | Houston, Texas | Public | uh.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Master's
|
111 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| Old Dominion University (ODU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Doctorate (Professional)
|
110 | Norfolk, Virginia | Public | odu.edu |
| Mercer University |
Bachelor's
|
101 | Macon, Georgia | Private | mercer.edu |
| University of Arkansas (U of A) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
99 | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Public | uark.edu |
| University of Alabama (UAB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
98 | Birmingham, Alabama | Public | uab.edu |
| Rowan University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
93 | Glassboro, New Jersey | Public | rowan.edu |
| University of Alabama (UAH) |
Master's
|
92 | Huntsville, Alabama | Public | uah.edu |
| East Carolina University (ECU) |
Bachelor's
|
91 | Greenville, North Carolina | Public | ecu.edu |
| Weber State University (WSU) |
Associate's
|
91 | Ogden, Utah | Public | weber.edu |
| Montgomery College (MC) |
Associate's
|
90 | Rockville, Maryland | Public | montgomerycollege.edu |
| Michigan State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
|
88 | East Lansing, Michigan | Public | msu.edu |
| Oklahoma Christian University (OC) |
Master's
|
87 | Edmond, Oklahoma | Private | oc.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
80 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| Colorado State University (CSU) |
Master's
|
78 | Fort Collins, Colorado | Public | colostate.edu |
| City Colleges of Chicago |
Associate's
|
75 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | ccc.edu |
| University of California (UCR) |
Master's
|
73 | Riverside, California | Public | ucr.edu |
| James Madison University (JMU) |
Bachelor's
|
69 | Harrisonburg, Virginia | Public | jmu.edu |
| Sinclair Community College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
68 | Dayton, Ohio | Public | sinclair.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Other Award
|
66 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| University of Connecticut (UConn) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
65 | Storrs, Connecticut | Public | uconn.edu |
| Tidewater Community College (TCC) |
Associate's
|
64 | Norfolk, Virginia | Public | tcc.edu |
| Harvey Mudd College (HMC) |
Bachelor's
|
62 | Claremont, California | Private | hmc.edu |
| Calvin University |
Bachelor's
|
62 | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Private | calvin.edu |
| Hope College |
Bachelor's
|
59 | Holland, Michigan | Private | hope.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
59 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Public | uwm.edu |
| UCNJ Union College of Union County NJ (UCNJ) |
Associate's
|
58 | Cranford, New Jersey | Public | ucc.edu |
| Snow College |
Associate's
|
55 | Ephraim, Utah | Public | snow.edu |
| William Rainey Harper College |
Associate's
|
52 | Palatine, Illinois | Public | harpercollege.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNL) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
52 | Lincoln, Nebraska | Public | unl.edu |
| CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) |
Associate's
|
52 | New York, New York | Public | bmcc.cuny.edu |
| Austin Community College District (ACC) |
Associate's
|
52 | Austin, Texas | Public | austincc.edu |
| Franklin W Olin College of Engineering |
Bachelor's
|
52 | Needham, Massachusetts | Private | olin.edu |
| Texas Christian University (TCU) |
Bachelor's
|
49 | Fort Worth, Texas | Private | tcu.edu |
| Robert Morris University (RMU) |
Bachelor's
|
48 | Moon Township, Pennsylvania | Private | rmu.edu |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) |
Master's
|
46 | Champaign, Illinois | Public | illinois.edu |
| North Carolina State University (NC State) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
46 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Public | ncsu.edu |
| South Texas College (STC) |
Associate's
|
46 | McAllen, Texas | Public | southtexascollege.edu |
| Roger Williams University (RWU) |
Bachelor's
|
45 | Bristol, Rhode Island | Private | rwu.edu |
| University of North Texas (UNT) |
Master's
|
44 | Denton, Texas | Public | unt.edu |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
42 | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Public | uccs.edu |
| San Jacinto Community College |
Associate's
|
42 | Pasadena, Texas | Public | sanjac.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Postbac Cert.
Other Award
|
42 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
41 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
41 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Private | cmu.edu |
| Minnesota State University |
Bachelor's
|
39 | Mankato, Minnesota | Public | mnsu.edu |
| Germanna Community College (GCC) |
Associate's
|
39 | Locust Grove, Virginia | Public | germanna.edu |
| Brightpoint Community College |
Associate's
|
39 | Chester, Virginia | Public | brightpoint.edu |
| Western Carolina University (WCU) |
Bachelor's
|
37 | Cullowhee, North Carolina | Public | wcu.edu |
| West Virginia University (WVU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
37 | Morgantown, West Virginia | Public | wvu.edu |
| Elgin Community College (ECC) |
Associate's
|
36 | Elgin, Illinois | Public | elgin.edu |
| Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) |
Bachelor's
|
36 | Bourbonnais, Illinois | Private | olivet.edu |
| Washtenaw Community College (WCC) |
Associate's
|
36 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | wccnet.edu |
| Saint Louis University (SLU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
36 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | slu.edu |
| Wake Forest University (WFC) |
Bachelor's
|
36 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Private | wfu.edu |
| Elizabethtown College |
Bachelor's
|
36 | Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania | Private | etown.edu |
| Vanderbilt University (VU) |
Master's
|
36 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | vanderbilt.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Platteville |
Master's
|
35 | Platteville, Wisconsin | Public | uwplatt.edu |
| University of Colorado Boulder (CU) |
Bachelor's
|
34 | Boulder, Colorado | Public | colorado.edu |
| Mississippi State University (MSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
34 | Mississippi State, Mississippi | Public | msstate.edu |
| Lone Star College System (LSC) |
Associate's
|
34 | The Woodlands, Texas | Public | lonestar.edu |
| Itawamba Community College (ICC) |
Associate's
|
33 | Fulton, Mississippi | Public | iccms.edu |
| Colorado School of Mines |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
31 | Golden, Colorado | Public | mines.edu |
| College of Lake County (CLC) |
Associate's
|
31 | Grayslake, Illinois | Public | clcillinois.edu |
| Brookdale Community College |
Associate's
|
31 | Lincroft, New Jersey | Public | brookdalecc.edu |
| University of New Mexico (UNM) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
31 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | unm.edu |
| College of Staten Island CUNY (CSI) |
Associate's
Bachelor's
|
31 | Staten Island, New York | Public | csi.cuny.edu |
| Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) |
Associate's
|
31 | Troy, New York | Public | hvcc.edu |
| Canadian Valley Technology Center (CV Tech) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
31 | El Reno, Oklahoma | Public | cvtech.edu |
| Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
30 | Sewell, New Jersey | Public | rcsj.edu |
| Campbell University |
Bachelor's
|
30 | Buies Creek, North Carolina | Private | campbell.edu |
| McNeese State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
29 | Lake Charles, Louisiana | Public | mcneese.edu |
| Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
29 | Springfield, Missouri | Public | otc.edu |
| Swarthmore College |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Swarthmore, Pennsylvania | Private | swarthmore.edu |
| Texas State University (TXST) |
Master's
|
29 | San Marcos, Texas | Public | txst.edu |
| California State University (CSUB) |
Bachelor's
|
28 | Bakersfield, California | Public | csub.edu |
| Trinity College |
Bachelor's
|
28 | Hartford, Connecticut | Private | trincoll.edu |
| Rock Valley College (RVC) |
Associate's
|
28 | Rockford, Illinois | Public | rockvalleycollege.edu |
| Loyola University Maryland |
Bachelor's
|
28 | Baltimore, Maryland | Private | loyola.edu |
| Schoolcraft Community College District |
Associate's
|
28 | Livonia, Michigan | Public | schoolcraft.edu |
| Paris Junior College (PJC) |
Associate's
|
28 | Paris, Texas | Public | parisjc.edu |
| Virginia Peninsula Community College (VPCC) |
Associate's
|
27 | Hampton, Virginia | Public | vpcc.edu |
| Metro Technology Centers (Metro Tech) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
27 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Public | metrotech.edu |
| Southern Arkansas University (SAU) |
Bachelor's
|
26 | Magnolia, Arkansas | Public | saumag.edu |
| Oral Roberts University (ORU) |
Bachelor's
|
26 | Tulsa, Oklahoma | Private | oru.edu |
| University of Louisiana (UL Lafayette) |
Master's
|
25 | Lafayette, Louisiana | Public | louisiana.edu |
| East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) |
Associate's
|
25 | Scooba, Mississippi | Public | eastms.edu |
| University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA) |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Asheville, North Carolina | Public | unca.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about General Engineering programs
How much can I earn with a General Engineering degree?
Salaries for General Engineering graduates vary by role and location. Architectural and Engineering Managers earn a median of $167,740 annually, while Engineers, All Other earn around $117,750. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in New Mexico average $153,590 compared to $103,617 in Arkansas. Approximately 401,000 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest General Engineering programs?
Currently 441 accredited institutions offer General Engineering degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University at Buffalo (UB) (473 graduates), University of Maryland (UMCP), College Park (390 graduates), and Northeastern University (NU) (388 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in General Engineering growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 6,252 in 2010 to 10,144 in 2023-24. This represents a 62% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a General Engineering degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Architectural and Engineering Managers, Engineers, All Other, and Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary. Related occupations employ approximately 401,000 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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