Mechanical Engineering Careers and Salary

A mechanical engineer can work in industries such as aerospace, automobile, combustion engines and fuels, fluid machinery, manufacturing and construction and building sciences. A postgraduate of mechanical engineering has a host of career opportunities in other fields, such as law, business and medicine. A lawyer with a mechanical engineering degree can have a very lucrative career in patent or products liability law.

Employment opportunities in management are more available for the mechanical engineer who has a master's degree in engineering or business administration. Additionally, mechanical engineers with a postgraduate degree in biomedical engineering might work for private medical companies or hospitals developing hip replacements, prosthetics, robotic surgical equipment or diagnostic and treatment equipment.

Salary

According to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in May, 2011, mechanical engineers earned an average annual income of $83,550.

The industries with the highest concentration of mechanical engineers were:

• Engine, turbine and power transmission equipment manufacturing
• Industrial machinery manufacturing
• Motor vehicle manufacturing
• Architectural, engineering and related services
• Railroad rolling stock manufacturing
• The industries with the highest levels of employment were:
  • Architectural, engineering and related services
  • Federal executive branch (Occupation Employment Statistics (OES) designation)
  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing
  • Navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments manufacturing

The industries with the highest levels of employment were:

• Architectural, engineering and related services
• Federal executive branch (Occupation Employment Statistics (OES) designation)
• Aerospace product and parts manufacturing
• Navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments manufacturing
• Scientific research and development services

The top paying industries for mechanical engineers were:

• Lessors of real estate
• Oil and gas extraction
• Bakeries and tortilla manufacturing
• Other professional, scientific and technical services
• Spectator sports

The annual salaries for these industries range between $102,000 and $117,000 according to the BLS.

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