Engineering degrees are among the most popular degrees. Learn about the top, highest paying engineering degrees that help advance your career.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers ranks the following fields as top degree programs with respect to salaries:
Petroleum Engineering: This top degree commands a starting salary of $86,220 which is the highest in the industry. This discipline involves the study and production of hydrocarbons (crude oil or natural gas) and is also related to economics, geophysics, drilling, reservoir simulation, well, oil and gas facilities engineering and artificial lift systems.
Chemical Engineering: The starting salary for this top degree is $65,142. It deals with the procedure of converting chemicals or raw material to a medical, mechanical or community need (chemical or biological transfer for large scale manufacture). It also deals with new techniques such as nanotechnology, biomedical engineering and fuel cells.
Mining and Mineral Engineering: This number three top degree commands a starting salary of $64,552. These engineers use mathematics and science to not only study coal and minerals, but they are also involved in the location of minerals, processing of minerals, refining of ore and process of excavating these from the earth. The engineers in this discipline also design and build mines and their systems.
Computer Science: The starting salary for the next top degree is $61,205. This branch studies algorithmic processes of creating, describing and transforming information and makes computational systems user friendly for all.
Computer Engineering: The starting salary for this top degree is $60,879. Computer engineers study electronic engineering, circuit design and hardware-software integration, and they are involved in designing and assimilating microprocessors, personal computers and super computers.
Electrical/Electronics & Communications Engineering: The starting salary for this top degree is $59,074. Electrical engineering deals with the study and incorporation of electricity, electronics, electromagnetism, power, control systems, signal processing and telecommunication. Electronics engineers are involved in the production of oil, energy, agriculture, television, radio, telecommunications and computers. Communication engineering deals with transfer and exchange of data/information in planes, trains, rockets and other technical devices.
Mechanical Engineering: You can expect a salary of around $58,392 for this top degree. This subject deals with the designing and production of tools, machines and other mechanical apparatus used in industries, and other commodities like refrigerators, air conditioners, etc.
Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering: This top degree commands a starting salary of $57,734. Industrial engineers work on scheduling, quality control, tools, procedures, design of various work methods in health care, transportation and municipal systems.
Aerospace/Aeronautical/ Astronautical Engineering: This top degree earns an engineer a starting salary of around $57,231. Aerospace engineers apply mathematics and scientific principles to design and develop aircraft and space vehicles. Aeronautical engineers work with aircraft and astronautical engineers deal with spacecraft.
Information Sciences & Systems: This top degree attracts a starting salary of $54,038. This involves the study of all types of processing systems, and they collect, analyze, retrieve and disseminate information on systems such as human-computer communication, data encryption, telecom, and internet.
(The average salaries of these top degrees are on an annual basis, not including benefits)
