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Chemical engineers are projected to be the top-paid engineering majors at the bachelor’s-degree level this year, while software engineers are expected to be highest paid among master’s degree graduates.
Employers responding to NACE’s Winter 2017 Salary Survey expect to pay Class of 2017 chemical engineering majors earning bachelor’s degrees starting salaries that average $68,445. Following closely are computer engineering ($68,191), biomedical engineering ($67,250), and materials engineering/science ($66,970) majors.
Among Class of 2017 master’s degree graduates, software engineering majors are expected to earn $80,238. (See Figure 2.) Other projected top-earning engineering majors at the master’s level include systems engineering ($78,917) and computer engineering ($78,101) majors.
Data contained in NACE’s Winter 2017 Salary Survey report are annual salary projections for Class of 2017 college graduates and were obtained by surveying NACE employer members from August 5, 2016, through November 30, 2016. The figures reported are for base salaries only and do not include bonuses, commissions, fringe benefits, or overtime rates. Final starting salary data for the Class of 2016 will be available in the Spring 2017 Salary Survey. The Winter 2017 Salary Survey is available to members in MyNACE. An executive summary of the Winter 2017 Salary Survey report is also available.
Figure 1: Projected Highest Paid Engineering Majors, Bachelor’s Degree Level
| Major |
Average Starting Salary |
| Chemical Engineering |
$68,445 |
| Computer Engineering |
$68,191 |
| Biomedical Engineering |
$67,250 |
| Materials Engineering/Science |
$66,970 |
| Electrical Engineering |
$66,920 |
| Software Engineering |
$66,847 |
| Systems Engineering |
$66,224 |
| Mechanical Engineering |
$65,557 |
| Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering |
$64,967 |
| Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering |
$64,280 |
Note: Only engineering majors with 10 or more responses are included.
Source: Winter 2017 Salary Survey, National Association of Colleges and Employers
Figure 2: Projected Highest Paid Engineering Majors, Master’s Degree Level
| Major |
Average Starting Salary |
| Software Engineering |
$80,238 |
| Systems Engineering |
$78,917 |
| Computer Engineering |
$78,101 |
| Engineering Technology |
$76,773 |
| Electrical Engineering |
$75,317 |
Note: Only engineering majors with 10 or more responses are included.
Source: Winter 2017 Salary Survey, National Association of Colleges and Employers