Engineer demographics and statistics in the US
Engineer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates engineer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our engineer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about engineers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 228,911 engineers currently employed in the United States.
- 13.7% of all engineers are women, while 86.3% are men.
- The average engineer age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of engineers is White (67.9%), followed by Asian (15.0%), Hispanic or Latino (9.1%) and Unknown (4.6%).
- Engineers are most in-demand in Huntsville, AL.
- Huntsville, AL pays an annual average wage of $77,034, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women engineers earned 103% of what men earned.
- New Hampshire is the best state for engineers to live.
- Engineers are 48% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
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Engineer demographics by:
Engineer gender statistics
13.7% of engineers are women and 86.3% of engineers are men.
- Male, 86.3%
- Female, 13.7%
Engineer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 86.3% |
| Female | 13.7% |
Engineer gender pay gap
Women earn $1.03 for every $1 earned by men
Male Income
$89,237
Female Income
$91,925
Engineer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in engineer positions over time. Currently, 13.7% of engineers are female.
Engineer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 88.46% | 11.54% |
| 2011 | 91.81% | 8.19% |
| 2012 | 89.52% | 10.48% |
| 2013 | 90.10% | 9.90% |
| 2014 | 88.92% | 11.08% |
| 2015 | 88.03% | 11.97% |
| 2016 | 89.31% | 10.69% |
| 2017 | 87.23% | 12.77% |
| 2018 | 87.88% | 12.12% |
| 2019 | 87.75% | 12.25% |
| 2020 | 85.12% | 14.88% |
| 2021 | 86.27% | 13.73% |
Engineer related jobs gender ratio
We compared engineers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, senior electronics design engineer and refrigeration engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Engineer | 11% | 89% |
| Engineer | 86% | 14% |
| Machine Tool Designer | 99% | 1% |
| Refrigeration Engineer | 99% | 1% |
| Senior Electronics Design Engineer | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Engineer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among engineers is White, which makes up 67.9% of all engineers. Comparatively, 15.0% of engineers are Asian and 9.1% of engineers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 67.9%
- Asian, 15.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.1%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- Black or African American, 3.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
Engineer Race
| Engineer Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.9% |
| Asian | 15.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.1% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| Black or African American | 3.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.1% |
Engineer race and ethnicity over time
See how engineer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Engineer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.12% | 3.43% | 12.89% | 6.70% |
| 2011 | 75.18% | 3.43% | 12.67% | 7.00% |
| 2012 | 75.62% | 3.65% | 11.83% | 7.33% |
| 2013 | 75.18% | 2.91% | 13.32% | 6.75% |
| 2014 | 73.21% | 3.00% | 14.44% | 7.75% |
| 2015 | 73.69% | 3.25% | 13.05% | 8.34% |
| 2016 | 71.71% | 3.45% | 14.14% | 8.93% |
| 2017 | 72.43% | 2.73% | 13.86% | 8.86% |
| 2018 | 73.22% | 3.04% | 13.50% | 8.09% |
| 2019 | 71.67% | 3.29% | 14.01% | 8.37% |
| 2020 | 68.16% | 2.99% | 15.51% | 9.72% |
| 2021 | 67.91% | 3.34% | 15.01% | 9.05% |
Engineer wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino engineers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american engineers have the lowest average salary at $84,264.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $89,366 |
| White | $90,527 |
| Black or African American | $84,264 |
| Asian | $89,781 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $92,461 |
Average engineer age
See how the average age of engineers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Engineer age by race and gender
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 39 | 36 |
| White | 40 | 33 |
| Black or African American | 40 | 48 |
| Asian | 38.5 | 34 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 26 |
Engineer age breakdown
The average age of engineers is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the engineer population.
Engineer age breakdown
| Engineer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Engineer educational attainment
The most common degree for engineers is bachelor's degree, with 65% of engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 13% and master's degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 11%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Engineers by degree level
| Engineer Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 65% |
| Master's | 13% |
| Associate | 11% |
| High School Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Engineer Jobs You Might Like
Engineer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $113,933 annually. With a Master's degree, engineers earn a median annual income of $104,300 compared to $91,031 for engineers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $104,300 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $91,031 |
| Doctorate Degree | $113,933 |
Engineer employment statistics
Most engineers work for a private in the technology industry.
Company size where engineers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where engineers work.
Engineer jobs by employer size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 7% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 9% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 50% |
Engineer jobs by company type
Employees with the engineer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most engineers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Engineer jobs by sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 46% |
| Private | 48% |
| Government | 5% |
Engineer jobs by industry
The most common industries for engineers are technology, manufacturing and professional.
Engineer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 21% |
| Technology | 16% |
| Manufacturing | 10% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Transportation | 5% |
| Telecommunication | 5% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Energy | 5% |
| Automotive | 4% |
| Government | 3% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
Engineer turnover and employment statistics
Engineer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for engineers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
Engineer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Engineer Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.09% |
| 2011 | 4.26% |
| 2012 | 2.86% |
| 2013 | 1.99% |
| 2014 | 1.63% |
| 2015 | 1.74% |
| 2016 | 1.46% |
| 2017 | 1.74% |
| 2018 | 1.20% |
| 2019 | 1.42% |
| 2020 | 2.46% |
| 2021 | 2.18% |
Average engineer tenure
The average engineer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 71,868 engineers resumes in Zippia's database.
Engineer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Engineer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of engineers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Health And Safety Manager | 3.67% | 71,325 |
| Engineer | 4.55% | - |
| Electric Engine Mechanic | 5.25% | 35,420 |
| Electrical Integrator | 6.39% | 28,626 |
| Stress Analyst | 7.54% | 8,437 |
| Sand Analyst | 8.92% | 10,839 |
| Extractive Metallurgist | 10.43% | 820 |
Similar engineer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Health And Safety Manager | 3.67% | 71,325 |
| Electric Engine Mechanic | 5.25% | 35,420 |
| Electrical Integrator | 6.39% | 28,626 |
| Stress Analyst | 7.54% | 8,437 |
| Sand Analyst | 8.92% | 10,839 |
| Extractive Metallurgist | 10.43% | 820 |
Foreign languages spoken by engineers
The most common foreign language among engineers is Spanish at 38.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.1% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 7.0%.
- Spanish, 38.3%
- French, 9.1%
- Chinese, 7.0%
- German, 6.2%
- Mandarin, 5.5%
- Other, 33.9%
Engineer languages spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 38.3% |
| French | 9.1% |
| Chinese | 7.0% |
| German | 6.2% |
| Mandarin | 5.5% |
| Other | 33.9% |
