The fastest growing areas in engineering

Engineering is constantly changing, and different specializations become more lucrative as new engineering practices and technology are developed. Engineers in different subfields often have vastly different earnings potentials, and changing your focus early can help you make more money later.

It’s impossible to predict where the industry will be in five or ten years, but some areas are likely to be in demand for the foreseeable future. Continue reading to learn more about some of the fastest growing areas in engineering.

Civil Engineering

Civil engineers oversee a wide range of systems and projects related to construction including tasks like maintenance, operation, and design. Many civil engineers are currently employed in both the private and public sectors, making it a relatively stable subfield.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that civil engineering saw the most growth of any engineering subfield in 2015, and it’s expected to keep growing over the next few years. Furthermore, Glassdoor reports that the average civil engineer makes more than $86,000 per year, a significant upgrade over most other specializations.

Environmental Engineering

Environmental issues are becoming a greater concern for both consumers and businesses, and environmental engineers have a major role to play in protecting our environment. They use engineering to create more environmentally friendly solutions for projects like water treatment, waste disposal, and recycling.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for environmental engineers is $84,560 – comparable to that of civil engineers. As in all engineering fields, experience has a significant impact on earnings, so it may take a few years to reach that salary.

Computer Hardware Engineering

As the name implies, computer hardware engineers are responsible for a variety of tasks related to computer components and systems. The field also has strong research opportunities for those who are interested in that side of the industry.

Computer-based solutions are becoming more common in seemingly every industry, and the need for skilled computer hardware engineers will most likely continue to grow. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects there to be 2,400 new computer hardware engineering jobs created between 2014 and 2024.

Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineering is currently a smaller focus than some of the others on this list, but it’s also one of the most rapidly expanding with projected growth of over 23 percent from 2014 to 2024. It also provides a top salary among engineering jobs with a median of more than $86,000 per year.

As a biomedical engineer, you’ll be working at the intersection of the biological and medical fields and developing complex solutions. There are a wide range of jobs available, with many biomedical engineers evaluating and monitoring equipment, training other professionals, publishing research, and more. Biomedical engineering is currently one of the most lucrative subfields in the world of engineering.

There’s no way to tell which directions engineering will move in in the future, but you can be confident in your career security in any of these subfields. Each one has strong employment prospects for upcoming engineers.

No matter what area of engineering you decide to work in, you should invest in a reliable professional liability insurance plan. Engineer professional liability insurance protects you from litigation costs, settlements, and verdicts in the event that you make a mistake related to your duties as an engineer. Check out BizInsure to learn more about your insurance options.