Engineering: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Engineering is a dynamic, interdisciplinary field dedicated to the design, analysis, optimization, and implementation of systems, structures, and technologies that solve real-world problems. This broad academic domain integrates scientific principles with practical application to innovate across industries ranging from aerospace and energy to biomedical and environmental systems.
- Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer: The study of energy conversion, heat flow, and efficiency in physical systems, essential for designing engines, HVAC systems, and power generation technologies.
- Fluid Mechanics: The analysis of fluid behavior under various conditions, critical for applications in aerodynamics, hydraulics, and environmental fluid systems.
- Materials Science and Engineering: Exploration of the properties, structures, and performance of engineering materials, enabling the development of stronger, lighter, and more durable components.
- Structural Analysis: The evaluation of how physical structures withstand loads and stresses, foundational for civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering projects.
- Control Systems and Automation: The design and implementation of systems that regulate machine behavior through feedback mechanisms, central to robotics, manufacturing, and smart infrastructure.
- Electrical Circuits and Systems: The study of electrical energy flow, circuit design, and signal processing, vital for electronics, telecommunications, and power distribution networks.
- Computational Modeling and Simulation: The use of advanced software tools to predict system performance, test designs virtually, and optimize engineering solutions before physical prototyping.
- Engineering Design and Prototyping: A hands-on approach to conceptualizing, developing, and testing innovative solutions, emphasizing creativity, problem-solving, and technical precision.
Engineering Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Engineering Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Engineering degrees, including Architectural and Engineering Managers, Engineers, All Other and Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors. 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 424,220 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 |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors 17-2111 | $109,660 | $62,050 - $166,670 | 23,220 | $52.72 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1032 | $106,120 | $59,790 - $200,650 | 39,910 | N/A |
Engineering Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $99,455 in Arkansas to $146,298 in California—a 47% difference. The highest-paying states include California, District of Columbia, and New Mexico. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 424,220 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 Engineering by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering 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 Engineering is found at Northeastern University (NU) (701 graduates), University of Akron, Main Campus (233 graduates), University of Southern California (USC) (220 graduates), Stanford University (146 graduates), and Purdue University (PU), Main Campus (142 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 3,516 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern University (NU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
701 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| University of Akron |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
|
233 | Akron, Ohio | Public | uakron.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
220 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| Stanford University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
146 | Stanford, California | Private | stanford.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
142 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| Clemson University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
128 | Clemson, South Carolina | Public | clemson.edu |
| University of Michigan |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
96 | Dearborn, Michigan | Public | umdearborn.edu |
| University of California (UCSD) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
91 | La Jolla, California | Public | ucsd.edu |
| Old Dominion University (ODU) |
Master's
|
91 | Norfolk, Virginia | Public | odu.edu |
| Northwestern University |
Master's
|
87 | Evanston, Illinois | Private | northwestern.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
83 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| Washington University in St Louis (WashU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
78 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | wustl.edu |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) |
Postbac Cert.
|
77 | Rolla, Missouri | Public | mst.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
75 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
69 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | worldcampus.psu.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
68 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| Mississippi State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
49 | Mississippi State, Mississippi | Public | msstate.edu |
| Michigan State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
|
48 | East Lansing, Michigan | Public | msu.edu |
| University of Virginia (UVA) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
47 | Charlottesville, Virginia | Public | virginia.edu |
| Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
44 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Private | cmu.edu |
| Ohio State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
42 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | osu.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
41 | Lowell, Massachusetts | Public | uml.edu |
| North Carolina A & T State University (NC A&T) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
41 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Public | ncat.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMCP) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
37 | College Park, Maryland | Public | umd.edu |
| Indiana University (IU Indianapolis) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Other Award
|
33 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Public | indianapolis.iu.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
33 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| Alabama A & M University (AAMU) |
Master's
|
30 | Normal, Alabama | Public | aamu.edu |
| Oklahoma State University (OSU) |
Master's
|
27 | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Public | okstate.edu |
| Louisiana Tech University (LA Tech) |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Ruston, Louisiana | Public | latech.edu |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
22 | Blacksburg, Virginia | Public | vt.edu |
| California State University |
Bachelor's
|
21 | Chico, California | Public | csuchico.edu |
| University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
21 | Detroit, Michigan | Private | udmercy.edu |
| University at Albany (UAlbany) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
21 | Albany, New York | Public | albany.edu |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
21 | Daytona Beach, Florida | Private | worldwide.erau.edu |
| Lawrence Technological University (LTU) |
Master's
|
20 | Southfield, Michigan | Private | ltu.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Postbac Cert.
|
20 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
19 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| University of Alabama (UAB) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Birmingham, Alabama | Public | uab.edu |
| The University of Tennessee |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Public | utk.edu |
| Stony Brook University (SBU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
17 | Stony Brook, New York | Public | stonybrook.edu |
| Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) |
Master's
|
15 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | iit.edu |
| Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
15 | Richmond, Virginia | Public | vcu.edu |
| Colorado State University (CSU Pueblo) |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Pueblo, Colorado | Public | csupueblo.edu |
| University of Idaho (U of I) |
Master's
|
14 | Moscow, Idaho | Public | uidaho.edu |
| Wheaton College |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Wheaton, Illinois | Private | wheaton.edu |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
14 | Worcester, Massachusetts | Private | wpi.edu |
| Wayne State University (WSU) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
14 | Detroit, Michigan | Public | wayne.edu |
| Rowan University |
Other Award
|
14 | Glassboro, New Jersey | Public | rowan.edu |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Wilmington, North Carolina | Public | uncw.edu |
| Lafayette College |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Easton, Pennsylvania | Private | lafayette.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Master's
|
11 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| Crowder College |
Associate's
|
11 | Neosho, Missouri | Public | crowder.edu |
| Clarkson University (Clarkson) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
11 | Potsdam, New York | Private | clarkson.edu |
| Ohio University (OHIO) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Athens, Ohio | Public | ohio.edu |
| Oregon State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Corvallis, Oregon | Public | oregonstate.edu |
| Southern Methodist University (SMU) |
Master's
|
11 | Dallas, Texas | Private | smu.edu |
| Colorado School of Mines |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Golden, Colorado | Public | mines.edu |
| Mercer University |
Master's
|
9 | Macon, Georgia | Private | mercer.edu |
| University of North Dakota (UND) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
9 | Grand Forks, North Dakota | Public | und.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Other Award
|
9 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| Stevens Institute of Technology |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Hoboken, New Jersey | Private | stevens.edu |
| Claremont McKenna College (CMC) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Claremont, California | Private | cmc.edu |
| Columbus State University |
Associate's
|
7 | Columbus, Georgia | Public | columbusstate.edu |
| SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Utica, New York | Public | sunypoly.edu |
| Lehigh University |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | Private | lehigh.edu |
| University of South Carolina (USC Aiken) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Aiken, South Carolina | Public | usca.edu |
| Auburn University (AU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Auburn, Alabama | Public | auburn.edu |
| University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) |
Master's
|
6 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | uic.edu |
| Montana Technological University (Montana Tech) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Butte, Montana | Public | mtech.edu |
| Duke University |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Durham, North Carolina | Private | duke.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
Master's
|
6 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Public | charlotte.edu |
| Norfolk State University (NSU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Norfolk, Virginia | Public | nsu.edu |
| California State University (CSUCI) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Camarillo, California | Public | csuci.edu |
| San Diego State University (SDSU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | San Diego, California | Public | sdsu.edu |
| University of Kansas (KU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Lawrence, Kansas | Public | ku.edu |
| University of Nevada (UNR) |
Postbac Cert.
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Reno, Nevada | Public | unr.edu |
| Oberlin College |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Oberlin, Ohio | Private | oberlin.edu |
| Utah State University (USU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Logan, Utah | Public | usu.edu |
| Vanderbilt University (VU) |
Master's
|
4 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | vanderbilt.edu |
| University of Alabama (UAH) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Huntsville, Alabama | Public | uah.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Postbac Cert.
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| University of California (UCLA) |
Master's
|
3 | Los Angeles, California | Public | ucla.edu |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Daytona Beach, Florida | Private | daytonabeach.erau.edu |
| University of St Thomas |
Postbac Cert.
|
3 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | stthomas.edu |
| University of Nevada (UNLV) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
3 | Las Vegas, Nevada | Public | unlv.edu |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) |
Postbac Cert.
|
3 | Newark, New Jersey | Public | njit.edu |
| Wright State University |
Master's
|
3 | Dayton, Ohio | Public | wright.edu |
| Chemeketa Community College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
3 | Salem, Oregon | Public | chemeketa.edu |
| Villanova University |
Postbac Cert.
|
3 | Villanova, Pennsylvania | Private | villanova.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Postbac Cert.
|
2 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| Western Michigan University (WMU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Kalamazoo, Michigan | Public | wmich.edu |
| North Carolina State University (NC State) |
Master's
|
2 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Public | ncsu.edu |
| Northwest State Community College (NSCC) |
Associate's
|
2 | Archbold, Ohio | Public | northweststate.edu |
| Oregon Institute of Technology (OTI) |
Master's
|
2 | Klamath Falls, Oregon | Public | oit.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Other Award
|
2 | DuBois, Pennsylvania | Public | dubois.psu.edu |
| Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico |
Doctorate (Other)
|
2 | Hato Rey, Puerto Rico | Private | pupr.edu |
| Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico (PUPR) |
Master's
|
2 | Miami, Florida | Private | pupr.edu |
| University of Alaska (UAF) |
Master's
|
1 | Fairbanks, Alaska | Public | uaf.edu |
| California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | San Luis Obispo, California | Public | calpoly.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Engineering programs
How much can I earn with a Engineering degree?
Salaries for 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 California average $146,298 compared to $99,455 in Arkansas. Approximately 424,220 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 Engineering programs?
Currently 113 accredited institutions offer Engineering degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Northeastern University (NU) (701 graduates), University of Akron, Main Campus (233 graduates), and University of Southern California (USC) (220 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 Engineering growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 2,615 in 2010 to 3,529 in 2023-24. This represents a 35% 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 Engineering degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Architectural and Engineering Managers, Engineers, All Other, and Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors. Related occupations employ approximately 424,220 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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