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The Average Engineer Salary in the U.S. by Industry

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Before You Read, Lower Your Student Payment

It’s that quick & easy — really. Our free tool checks a network of top refinance lenders and shows you options in one easy chart.

Checking rates takes 2 minutes with no impact on your credit
Federal & private loans are eligible
No maximum loan amount

There are dozens of different types of engineering careers you can choose from, so the amount of student debt engineering students have when they graduate can vary. The average student loan balance for all college graduates is $29,650, and if you attended graduate school, you likely have more.

Once you graduate, your salary will be an important indicator of your ability to repay your student loan debt. If you’re getting ready to graduate and looking for a job, here’s what you should know about the average engineer salary.

Average engineer salary by career type

The average salary for an engineer can vary based on where you live and the industry you’re planning to get into. To give you an idea of what to expect, here are the average salaries for some of the most common engineering jobs, according to Michigan Tech University.

Job Type Average entry-level Average Salary Top 10%
Biomedical engineer $60,958 $95,090 $144,350
Chemical engineer $65,618 $114,470 $169,770
Civil engineer $56,152 $93,720 $142,560
Computer hardware engineer $71,007 $117,840 $172,630
Software engineer $68,436 $114,000 $166,960
Construction management engineer $55,795 $103,110 $161,510
Electrical engineer $64,936 $101,600 $153,240
Electrical engineering technology N/A $86,690 $133,280
Environmental engineer $55,884 $92,640 $137,090
Geological and mining engineer $61,977 $98,420 $151,030
Geospatial science and technology engineer $49,571 $68,340 $101,400
Materials science and engineering $65,806 $96,930 $148,110
Mechanical engineer $61,538 $92,800 $136,550
Mechanical engineering technology N/A $99,310 $154,720
Surveying engineer $48,360 $66,440 $102,220

There are several other types of engineering jobs that are available, including robotics engineer, manufacturing engineer, agricultural engineer, petroleum engineer and more. If your chosen field isn’t listed above, do some research to get an idea of what you can expect to earn.

Also, keep in mind that the median salary for an engineer isn’t necessarily what you’ll start at when you begin working after college. So do your due diligence to understand what starting salaries will look like.

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Grants offer those with demonstrated financial need an opportunity to get help with their loans.

The average engineer salary by state

Where you live can make a huge difference financially, not only with your salary but also with how far that money will go due to the cost of living. While these figures from ZipRecruiter are all lumped together instead of separating them by industry, here’s a ballpark figure of the variances you can expect by state.

State Average salary
Alabama $64,360
Alaska $73,312
Arizona $68,314
Arkansas $64,792
California $72,282
Colorado $69,074
Connecticut $74,009
Delaware $69,167
Florida $62,114
Georgia $65,902
Hawaii $76,722
Idaho $67,577
Illinois $64,439
Indiana $67,876
Iowa $66,559
Kansas $68,019
Kentucky $70,512
Louisiana $67,251
Maine $67,526
Maryland $74,032
Massachusetts $79,883
Michigan $64,839
Minnesota $69,344
Mississippi $63,709
Missouri $63,559
Montana $69,024
Nebraska $72,916
Nevada $72,737
New Hampshire $77,745
New Jersey $70,194
New Mexico $65,004
New York $80,646
North Carolina $59,146
North Dakota $72,462
Ohio $68,620
Oklahoma $67,769
Oregon $69,176
Pennsylvania $69,769
Rhode Island $73,407
South Carolina $69,408
South Dakota $70,346
Tennessee $69,118
Texas $65,145
Utah $67,989
Vermont $73,008
Virginia $71,960
Washington $79,326
West Virginia $70,108
Wisconsin $68,456
Wyoming $72,399

As you consider the average engineer salary by state, also take a look at the numbers for engineers in your industry. Additionally, consider what the cost of living looks like for the city or metropolitan area where you plan to settle down.

How to refinance your engineer student loan debt

Regardless of the average engineer salary by state or industry, it’s a good idea to look for any opportunity to save money on your student loans and possibly even pay them off more quickly.

Student loan refinancing is the process of replacing your existing loans with a new one through a private lender. You can refinance federal or private student loans, or even both together.

Depending on your credit history and income, you may be able to qualify for a lower interest rate than what you’re paying right now. With tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt, even a small interest rate decrease can result in thousands of dollars in savings.

A lower interest rate will also reduce your monthly payment if you keep the same payment schedule. But if you want, you can choose a shorter repayment term or a longer one. A shorter term will help you eliminate your debt more quickly with a higher monthly payment, while a longer term will result in lower payments, which can make them more affordable.

That said, a longer term will end up costing you more in interest over the long run.

One of the reasons engineers are such good refinance candidates is because they tend to have above-average salaries, even at the beginning of their careers. The higher your salary and credit score, the better your chances of getting the terms you want.

How engineers can score a low student loan refinance rate

As with any other financial product or service, it’s rarely a good idea to take the first offer you see. Instead, get prequalified with several lenders, so you’ll be able to compare refinance rates and other terms.

This process can be time-consuming if you do it with each individual lender, though. To speed up the process, you can use Purefy’s Compare Rates tool, which can provide rate offers from multiple lenders in one place, saving you time and making the comparison process easier.

As you compare your options, look at the interest rate, as well as the loan term, monthly payment, possible discounts and other features that could impact your student loan payoff strategy.

Refinancing isn’t for everyone, though. If you have federal student loans and plan to take advantage of their benefits, such as access to student loan forgiveness programs and income-driven repayment plans, you may be better off with the loans you have now. But if you don’t need those features and you want to save, refinancing can be the best way to do it.

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