The current demand in the United States for qualified engineers can be reflected by the dwindling number of students who enter into the field each year. While nearly one in four students in nations like Japan and Germany enter into engineering studies, only one in twenty within the United States will do so. As such, these students are able to name their own careers (and sometimes their own salaries) due to competition between corporations and firms to hire the best and brightest. The top engineering jobs for 2013 reflect the current deficit of technological skills.

Make It Spark

One of the highest demands in the entire field is for qualified and experience electrical engineers, especially those with a Master’s degree or higher in their specialization. This is because electrical engineering is a function of nearly every other type of engineering, ranging from computer design to high-rise skyscrapers to petroleum to machines. Since the world runs on electricity, the scientists who design the technology to be used by electricity are in peak demand. Even an entry-level position may pay as much as sixty thousand dollars per year, and experienced candidates can command double or even triple that amount.

Drawn From The Ground

While it is not the highest demand of all engineering fields, petroleum engineering remains the highest paid of all fields. Oil companies can process a million gallons of oil per day from a single refinery, meaning that machines that fail or are improperly calibrated costs them hundreds of thousands of dollars for each hour they are down. Petroleum engineers have an average starting salary of over one hundred thousand dollars per year (in addition to a signing bonus of a quarter of that sum), making it one of the most lucrative in-demand jobs in 2013.

Build A City Around You

Until people stop reproducing and there is no longer a need to settle new populations, civil engineering will always be in high demand. Civil and environmental engineers work to accommodate the pieces of a city, ranging from skyscrapers to bridges to dams, in order to allow for the best human interaction with the surrounding area. Civil engineers tend to enjoy a higher degree of job autonomy than other engineers since they work for firms rather than a corporation, meaning they are hired by cities or construction outfits and may pick and choose their projects. The pay is slightly less in comparison to some other engineering professions, with an average starting salary of $52,000 per year.

Make Computers Come Alive

Computer engineering is one of the few industries that has had almost only positive growth over the past two decades of economic turmoil since the expansion of computers in everyday life has necessitated more and more designers who can construct the interfaces of artificial intelligence. Computer engineers, furthermore, can also use their education to be hired as code writers, graphic designers, and hardware testers, making them one of the most versatile engineering professions on the market. The bottom line is favorable as well, since the starting salary averages $85,000 per year.

To The Moon And Back

Perhaps the highest-prestige engineering jobs belong to aerospace engineers, the scientists who design and build both jets and space shuttles for ultra-fast travel and exploration. Aerospace engineering is in slightly less demand than other fields, meaning that an applicant may want to consider pursuing an advanced degree in order to make themselves a better fit for a company. The rewards of the business, aside from getting to create jet fighters or Mars rovers, are modest, since the starting salary is $56,000, lower than any other engineering field other than civil engineers.

Source: career-advice.monster.com/job-search/company-industry-research/2013

Author Bio: William Stevens is a writer who creates articles related to the field of engineering. This article explains popular engineering related jobs and aims to encourage further study with an Online Civil Engineering Masters Degree.