What Are Different Types of Engineering? | Education

Engineering continues to be a thriving college major, as the number of engineering graduates has increased. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 140,000 new engineering jobs are expected to be created between 2016 and 2026.

With so many different types of engineering jobs, it can be challenging for prospective and early-career undergraduate students to decide which track to pursue.

Engineers serve in various roles, from creating, improving and maintaining massive structures like highways and bridges to designing smaller items like laptops, smartphones and athletic sneakers. Aerospace engineers design and test technology used in spacecraft, aircraft and satellites while biomedical engineers help create medicine and technology to advance human health.

While faculty members at engineering programs say that both aerospace and biomedical engineering majors are increasing in popularity, these disciplines are not as common across the U.S. as some other fields.

Four of the most common engineering majors offered at most U.S. engineering schools are:

Civil engineers work on civil infrastructure projects that affect the quality of life in various communities in major ways. These projects include highways, bridges, skyscrapers and wastewater treatment plants.

Civil engineers often communicate with architects, contractors and government officials to complete projects. People attracted to civil engineering typically want to make a huge impact on society, says Zachary Grasley, head of the civil and environmental engineering department at Texas A&M University.

“We build things that put the public at potential risk,” Grasley says. “If a bridge collapses, people die. If a building collapses, people die.”

Unlike some other engineering fields, most civil engineers are expected to have professional licenses and receive continuing education. Having good character and not cutting corners are important qualities for civil engineers.

In addition, civil engineering is a great option for those interested in becoming entrepreneurs, experts say. Several Texas A&M graduates have started consulting or construction firms, Grasley says.

“It’s hard to develop a mom-and-pop automobile company, whereas there are thousands of engineering firms across the country,” he says.

The median annual earnings for civil engineers in the U.S. was $95,890 in 2023, according to the BLS.

Grasley said that while starting salaries for civil engineering positions aren’t as high as those for computer science majors, civil engineering offers plenty of opportunities for growth and increased compensation starting at the mid-career level.

Electrical engineers design and test electrical equipment and systems used in machines, boats, auto motors, cellphones and cameras.

Students interested in electrical engineering should consider the type of problems they are interested in solving, says Maria Yang, deputy dean of engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s School of Engineering.

“Would you be drawn to developing control strategies for making sure the electrical grid runs safely, to the signal processing algorithms that process audio, to the coding strategies for sending data wirelessly faster and more reliably?” Yang wrote in a text message.

Students who want to work with microelectronics – such as Fitbit-type sensors that track movement and the Apple Watch’s heart rate sensor – should consider majoring in electrical engineering.

The median annual wage for electrical engineers in the U.S. was $109,010 in 2023, according to the BLS.

Mechanical engineers design and create the mechanical aspects of different devices, ranging from car seatbelts to a cooling device in a video game console.

“Many of the electrical components in a cell phone are designed by electrical engineers,” says Samuel Graham, dean of the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland. “But the tools to manufacture that phone are often designed or built by mechanical engineers.”

In addition to the design and creation of machinery, mechanical engineers are also responsible for testing. If a device fails, a mechanical engineer is responsible for identifying the source of the problem and helping solve it.

Mechanical engineers can work in manufacturing and production in a wide variety of companies, including gasoline companies like Exxon and Shell, aerospace companies such as Boeing and fashion brands like Nike that incorporate technology in products.

The median annual pay for mechanical engineers in the U.S. was $99,510 in 2023, per the BLS.

Chemical engineers are key players in the production of items like medicine, fuels, detergents and paper. In addition to working with pharmaceutical and gasoline companies, chemical engineers work on creating consumer products ranging from potato chips to lipstick.

“Chemical engineers generally had a very good experience with chemistry in high school,” says David Tomasko, associate dean for academic programs and student services at Ohio State University’s college of engineering. “They generally have an appreciation for chemical reactions and the world of molecules.”

The median annual salary for chemical engineers in the U.S. in 2023 was $112,100, according to BLS figures.

When picking an engineering major, Tomasko advises students to think about the industry they want to pursue and then pick a discipline that gets them there. For example, NASA not only hires aerospace engineers, but also employs chemical and mechanical engineers.

If one major is full, Tomasko says, pick another.

“There’s not a single company out there that only hires one kind of engineer,” he says. “All of the different engineering disciplines actually work on teams together.”

Earning a graduate degree in engineering makes it easier for students to dive into their specific area of interest, Graham says. Unlike undergraduate engineering students, grad students take a few classes each semester and then spend a lot of time conducting research.

“I think graduate school is an awesome way for you to hone your skills or really develop a deeper understanding of the way to impact society from engineering,” Graham says.

Taking advantage of research opportunities and spending time with graduate students in labs will help undergraduate students decide if grad school is for them, Graham adds.