National Salary Info » Engineers

Highest Paying Industries for Engineers

The top 100 highest paying industries for engineers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $132,920, oil and gas extraction is the highest paying industry for engineers. It is followed by other information services industry (average annual salary $131,760). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of engineers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Engineers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Oil and Gas Extraction	$132,920	$78,230	23,920
2	Other Information Services	$131,760	$83,000	1,530
3	Mining	$116,180	$64,940	37,530
4	Software Publishers	$114,740	$69,400	2,400
5	Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage	$114,020	$81,110	70
6	Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil	$112,660	$66,700	1,320
7	Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media	$112,490	$56,620	1,410
8	Publishing Industries (except Internet)	$111,990	$67,580	2,610
9	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$109,490	$68,360	9,370
10	Pipeline Transportation	$108,050	$65,300	3,270
11	Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas	$105,060	$64,160	1,530
12	Vocational Rehabilitation Services	$104,260	$55,900	130
13	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	$104,150	$63,870	22,270
14	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$102,970	$70,160	94,480
15	Federal government, including USPS	$102,860	$69,900	94,940
16	Social Assistance	$102,720	$55,770	130
17	Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers	$102,310	$65,730	560
18	Other Pipeline Transportation	$102,110	$68,880	420
19	Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers	$101,760	$52,840	80
20	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$101,140	$52,110	760
21	Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities	$100,800	$57,440	230
22	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$100,770	$59,480	39,660
23	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$99,990	$64,150	79,880
24	Scientific Research and Development Services	$99,990	$64,130	80,100
25	Footwear Manufacturing	$99,910	$63,370	160
26	Insurance Carriers	$99,770	$66,410	650
27	Waste Treatment and Disposal	$99,030	$63,340	2,990
28	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$98,570	$63,920	63,510
29	Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries	$98,510	$64,500	320
30	Services to Buildings and Dwellings	$98,330	$65,910	n/a
31	Other Financial Investment Activities	$97,940	$50,690	660
32	Nondepository Credit Intermediation	$97,910	$57,730	40
33	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$97,530	$63,450	85,050
34	Natural Gas Distribution	$97,470	$63,860	5,040
35	Motion Picture and Video Industries	$97,370	$64,410	300
36	Support Activities for Mining	$97,180	$52,600	9,630
37	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$96,780	$64,170	9,700
38	Masonry Contractors	$96,700	$51,150	50
39	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$96,590	$61,940	162,140
40	Cable and Other Subscription Programming	$96,430	$63,220	370
41	Petroleum and Petroleum Products Merchant Wholesalers	$95,660	$64,070	280
42	Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)	$94,740	$64,530	7,480
43	Communications Equipment Manufacturing	$94,300	$58,710	14,810
44	Tobacco Manufacturing	$93,850	$55,560	200
45	Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing	$93,810	$61,610	5,840
46	Finance and Insurance	$93,720	$54,270	2,100
47	Outpatient Care Centers	$93,440	$48,850	290
48	Household Appliances and Electrical and Electronic Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$93,370	$55,920	10,870
49	Telephone Call Centers	$93,060	$62,570	n/a
50	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	$92,980	$57,820	1,400
51	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$92,970	$59,070	57,970
52	Satellite Telecommunications	$92,770	$60,550	370
53	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$92,530	$57,530	184,920
54	Federal, State, and Local Government	$92,530	$57,530	184,920
55	Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation	$92,440	$59,630	660
56	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$92,220	$58,320	1,050
57	Utilities	$91,920	$62,490	36,420
58	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$91,760	$56,060	194,760
59	Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing	$91,640	$46,810	1,310
60	Business Support Services	$91,450	$61,530	490
61	Monetary Authorities-Central Bank	$91,450	$65,400	60
62	Office Administrative Services	$91,400	$61,350	n/a
63	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$91,390	$58,190	45,510
64	Testing Laboratories	$91,310	$56,780	22,720
65	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$91,220	$62,440	30,610
66	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$90,910	$53,920	8,570
67	Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations	$90,900	$57,500	230
68	Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services	$90,810	$57,130	1,360
69	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$90,790	$55,540	6,250
70	Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers	$90,650	$77,430	60
71	Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses	$90,600	$53,040	430
72	Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing	$90,440	$59,770	2,180
73	Support Activities for Road Transportation	$90,420	$57,450	80
74	Information	$90,040	$62,440	35,970
75	Specialized Design Services	$89,930	$52,640	2,720
76	Chemical Manufacturing	$89,880	$56,640	34,860
77	Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries	$89,640	$54,460	620
78	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$89,610	$54,370	500,650
79	Water, Sewage and Other Systems	$89,590	$53,410	770
80	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$89,130	$52,920	3,640
81	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$89,010	$56,740	136,980
82	Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction	$88,600	$53,200	2,500
83	Spectator Sports	$88,590	$54,960	530
84	Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations	$88,580	$51,770	350
85	Land Subdivision	$88,580	$54,090	440
86	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$88,240	$51,680	41,500
87	Educational Support Services - Privately owned	$87,790	$59,950	30
88	Educational Support Services	$87,790	$59,950	30
89	Administrative and Support Services	$87,790	$51,170	35,250
90	Employment Services	$87,690	$50,350	30,390
91	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$87,600	$51,640	7,550
92	Scheduled Air Transportation	$87,580	$59,020	1,410
93	Broadcasting (except Internet)	$87,550	$54,270	1,180
94	Temporary Help Services	$87,510	$50,390	27,060
95	Water Transportation	$87,510	$53,650	1,000
96	Telecommunications	$87,450	$62,220	28,970
97	Air Transportation	$87,410	$58,140	1,480
98	Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers	$87,210	$48,700	250
99	Nonstore Retailers	$86,770	$51,240	490
100	Credit Intermediation and Related Activities	$86,750	$38,230	230