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A wide range of work environments are available in engineering. Many jobs exist in research facilities, laboratories, business offices, and manufacturing plants. But there are also jobs—such as civil or environmental engineers—in which you’ll spend much of your time outdoors. Some jobs involve a hybrid indoor/outdoor work environment. Earnings for many engineering professionals are higher than those paid to workers in other fields. For example, workers in engineering and architecture professions earn a median annual wage of $79,840, according to the US Department of Labor (DOL). This is higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $45,760. There will always be a strong need for engineering professionals, because their work plays a key role in most aspects of our lives— whether it’s keeping our drinking water clean to building highways to developing spacecraft to studying manufacturing processes to make them faster and more energy efficient. Employment for all engineers is expected to increase 4 percent from 2021 to 2031, according to the DOL. This is about as fast as the average for all occupations, but the following engineering careers will enjoy stronger growth: • bioengineers and biomedical engineers: faster than the average

• chemical engineers: much faster than the average • engineering professors: much faster than the average

• industrial engineers: faster than the average • petroleum engineers: faster than the average What Types of People Are

Interested in Engineering Careers? People with many different interests can find engineering careers that suit them. But if you’re unsure about your interest in the field, answer

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Is an Engineering Career for You?