Engineering-Related Fields Degree
Students study specialized technical areas that support engineering work, which may include technical writing, engineering sales, patent assistance, or construction management support. Graduates typically pursue careers as technical writers, engineering sales representatives, patent examiners, and project support specialists. These roles bridge the gap between engineers and other stakeholders in technical organizations.
What Engineering-Related Fields Graduates Do
Your career in an engineering-related field will likely focus on optimizing complex systems. The most common and fastest-growing path is industrial engineering, where you'll spend your days on a factory floor or in a logistics hub, analyzing data to make processes faster, safer, and more efficient. After gaining technical experience, many advance into management.
As an industrial production manager, you’ll run the plant, juggling schedules, staff, and supply chain issues. Or you might become an architectural and engineering manager, leading teams of specialists, managing budgets, and ensuring complex projects are delivered on time. While these leadership roles offer high earning potential, they are growing more slowly than the hands-on engineering positions.
Across these paths, AI will automate significant chunks of routine work, from data analysis to initial process modeling. The jobs aren't disappearing, but your day-to-day focus will shift. Success will depend on your ability to verify AI outputs, solve problems it can't, and manage the human side of engineering.
Common Career Paths
Where Engineering-Related Fields graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 111,400 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Salary Range | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and engineering managers | 14,500 | +3.8% | 41% | |
| Industrial production managers | 17,100 | +1.9% | 34% | |
| Engineers, all other | 9,300 | +2.1% | 46% | |
| Engineering teachers, postsecondary | 4,100 | +8.1% | 50% | |
| Facilities managers | 13,200 | +3.8% | 48% | |
| Industrial engineers | 25,200 | +11.0% | 48% | |
| Commercial and industrial designers | 2,500 | +3.2% | 47% | |
| Postsecondary teachers, all other | 13,500 | +1.8% | 0% | |
| Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other | 5,700 | +1.5% | 24% | |
| Industrial engineering technologists and technicians | 6,300 | +1.7% | 39% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).
Best Schools for Engineering-Related Fields
Top 20 of 31 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.
| # | School | DW Score | Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ |
75 73–75 |
$76,149/yr | 21.2x |
| 2 | California State University-Chico Chico, CA |
74 72–74 |
$69,042/yr | 27.7x |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI |
72 70–72 |
$71,117/yr | 19.5x |
| 4 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI |
71 69–71 |
$76,563/yr | 14.0x |
| 5 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN |
71 69–71 |
$67,431/yr | 20.0x |
| 6 | Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO |
70 69–71 |
$72,708/yr | 14.8x |
| 7 | Clemson University Clemson, SC |
69 67–69 |
$68,904/yr | 13.5x |
| 8 | Iowa State University Ames, IA |
69 66–69 |
$62,416/yr | 17.5x |
| 9 | Stanford University Stanford, CA |
68 66–69 |
$100,788/yr | 5.8x |
| 10 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI |
68 66–69 |
$67,992/yr | 13.3x |
| 11 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA |
68 66–69 |
$56,513/yr | 14.9x |
| 12 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN |
65 63–65 |
$60,284/yr | 15.2x |
| 13 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT |
62 60–62 |
$63,780/yr | 24.4x |
| 14 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ |
61 59–62 |
$79,755/yr | 3.2x |
| 15 | Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN |
61 59–61 |
$72,252/yr | 17.1x |
| 16 | Purdue University Northwest Hammond, IN |
61 59–61 |
$66,798/yr | 18.8x |
| 17 | Morehead State University Morehead, KY |
61 59–61 |
$62,330/yr | 13.3x |
| 18 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ |
59 57–59 |
$75,109/yr | 12.8x |
| 19 | Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY |
59 57–59 |
$74,923/yr | 3.1x |
| 20 | Clarkson University Potsdam, NY |
58 56–58 |
$74,407/yr | 2.9x |
Highest Earning Engineering-Related Fields Programs
Schools where Engineering-Related Fields graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | DW Score |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | $100,788/yr | 68 |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | $79,755/yr | 61 |
| Michigan State University | $76,563/yr | 71 |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion | $76,149/yr | 75 |
| Arizona State University Digital Immersion | $76,149/yr | 52 |
| University of Arizona | $75,109/yr | 59 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | $74,923/yr | 59 |
| Miami University-Oxford | $74,624/yr | 55 |
| Clarkson University | $74,407/yr | 58 |
| University of Southern California | $73,234/yr | 48 |
Best ROI for Engineering-Related Fields
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Engineering-Related Fields.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | DW Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University-Chico | 27.7x | $69,042/yr | 74 |
| Utah Valley University | 24.4x | $63,780/yr | 62 |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 21.2x | $76,149/yr | 75 |
| Middle Tennessee State University | 20.0x | $67,431/yr | 71 |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout | 19.5x | $71,117/yr | 72 |
| Purdue University Northwest | 18.8x | $66,798/yr | 61 |
| Iowa State University | 17.5x | $62,416/yr | 69 |
| Purdue University-Main Campus | 17.1x | $72,252/yr | 61 |
| The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 15.2x | $60,284/yr | 65 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 14.9x | $56,513/yr | 68 |
Related Majors
Explore similar fields of study.
Consider the Trade Route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Engineering-Related Fields offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.