An engineering degree, post military, can be critical to a long career in this field as many job positions require at least a bachelors degree. The good news is that your military training may already qualify you for college credits. Combine that with your Post 9-11 GI Bill® assistance, other forms of Veterans Affair benefits and military discounts offered by colleges and universities, and you’re already on your way to earning an engineering degree.
Degree options to pursue a career in engineering include:
- Aerospace Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Gas Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Software Engineering
- Systems Engineering
Compensation according to the Department of Labor’s National Compensation Survey:
| Career | Mean Earnings | Median Earnings |
| Engineering occupations | $ 72,638 | $ 68,700 |
| Surveyors, cartographers, and photogrammetrists | $ 60,634 | $ 54,184 |
| Surveyors | $ 66,688 | $ 58,180 |
| Engineers | $ 85,001 | $ 81,748 |
| Aerospace engineers | $106,795 | $105,768 |
| Chemical engineers | $ 92,263 | $ 87,214 |
| Civil engineers | $ 75,105 | $ 72,270 |
| Computer hardware engineers | $ 98,318 | $ 97,868 |
| Electrical and electronics engineers | $ 85,263 | $ 81,948 |
| Electrical engineers | $ 84,039 | $ 81,948 |
| Electronics engineers, except computer | $ 86,459 | $ 81,910 |
| Environmental engineers | $ 79,206 | $ 75,356 |
| Industrial engineers, including health and safety | $ 78,926 | $ 76,211 |
| Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors | $ 88,868 | $ 76,045 |
| Industrial engineers | $ 76,545 | $ 76,319 |
| Materials engineers | $ 81,447 | $ 74,360 |
| Mechanical engineers | $ 76,744 | $ 73,882 |
| Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers | $ 98,109 | $ 80,808 |
| Nuclear engineers | $ 90,029 | $ 87,372 |
| Petroleum engineers | $115,323 | $105,000 |
| Drafters | $ 51,632 | $ 46,700 |
| Electrical and electronics drafters | $ 44,789 | $ 46,717 |
| Mechanical drafters | $ 50,591 | $ 46,634 |
| Engineering technicians, except drafters | $ 51,718 | $ 52,000 |
| Aerospace engineering and operations technicians | $ 59,219 | $ 57,183 |
| Civil engineering technicians | $ 39,906 | $ 36,442 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians | $ 50,283 | $ 51,929 |
| Electro-mechanical technicians | $ 54,629 | $ 55,707 |
| Environmental engineering technicians | $ 45,782 | $ 40,404 |
| Industrial engineering technicians | $ 53,586 | $ 53,412 |
| Mechanical engineering technicians | $ 57,500 | $ 51,667 |
| Surveying and mapping technicians | $ 46,631 | $ 44,200 |
