General Engineering Salaries State By State

Some of the most in-demand jobs in the United States are engineering jobs. These roles often pay more than other positions because they are a challenge to fill. With high demand, low competition and high earning potential, engineering jobs are attractive positions to pursue.

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But if you want to know how much you should request or consider when you're accepting an offer for a general engineer role, then it's a good idea to have a figure to benchmark against. That's why it's essential to explore the various general engineering salaries state-by-state. 

What Do General Engineers Do?

General engineers take on a variety of tasks and can fill various roles. That's because a degree in general engineering covers a variety of topics that make you prepared for several types of engineering positions. 

For example, engineers may work on creating zippers or airports, overseeing bridge building project or even developing new products for a cosmetics line. Other engineering jobs include industrial engineers, chemical engineers, and aerospace engineers.

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General engineers work in a variety of industries, including the manufacturing, construction and engineering services industries. You also have the potential to branch out into other career paths that may require expertise or a degree in engineering, such as a technical writer, college professor, consultant or patent attorney. Thus, pursuing a degree in engineering offers several career opportunities.

What is the Average Engineering Salary?

According to Indeed.com, general engineers make an average salary of $89,381 per year. But this figure can look different from state to state or across various sources. For instance, general engineers make an average base pay of $79,830 per year, according to Glassdoor.

Yet, data from Paysa notes that engineering jobs pull in an average salary of $102,799 per year. However, Paysa also highlights the differences in salaries based on location. For example, general engineers based in Orlando, Florida, make $103,083 per year, while the average annual salary for engineering roles in New York, New York is $109,824.

Indeed also highlights the District of Colombia as a place that pays high salaries for engineering positions with an average of $105,937 per year. You may also expect an average engineering salary of $81,250 as an entry-level project engineer versus $72,950 for an entry-level quality engineer role.

What Impacts an Engineering Salary?

There are several factors that can affect your engineering salary, including your experience, education, the type of engineer role and the location of your job.

For instance, the Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights that engineering jobs brought in an average of $91,010 per year in 2016. But petroleum engineers made even more with an average annual salary of $128,230 per year.

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Additionally, engineers with more experience tend to make more money. Petroleum engineers in the 90th percentile made more than $208,000 in 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the other hand, nuclear engineers in the 90th percentile made an annual average salary of $152,420 in the same year.

Most general engineers have at least a bachelor's degree, too. Some of the top-paid engineering majors include computer engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, nuclear engineering, and petroleum engineering. For example, entry-level petroleum engineers made an average of $90,827 while nuclear engineers often start out making $65,155.

The organization you work for also may impact how much you get paid as an engineer. For example, the federal government often is a top employer of general engineers and offer some of the highest salaries for general engineers in the country. 

In fact, general engineering roles were one of the most popular roles filled by the federal government in 2017. Data from FederalPay.org revealed that the federal government employed 9,533 general engineers during that time. General engineers who worked for the Federal Government made an average of $129,820.34 in 2017. 

Moreover, the department that paid and hired the most general engineers was the Department of Energy. The average salary for general engineers hired by the Department of Energy in 2017 made $133,554 per year.

However, some organizations offered New York-based general engineers even more than what general engineers working for the government make. 

For instance, data from Paysa revealed that some of the best-paying companies offering a high annual engineering salary include Cinergy ($447,000) and Valley Forge Casino Resort ($343,000). These engineers often held a master's degree and had project management, engineering and systems engineering skills.

How General Engineering Salaries Look State-by-State

Where you work can impact how much you make. So, it's ideal to assess how much companies and organizations pay general engineers in the state you plan to work. Here is a break down of the average annual engineering salary across the country, according to Indeed:

Final Thoughts

The demand for general engineers continues to make the role attractive. But it's important to evaluate how your salary may look from state-to-state. By assessing the various general engineering salaries across the United States, you can make better decisions when reviewing salary offers for potential engineering jobs.