University:
California State University, Northridge
Course:
ME 101/L | Introduction to Mechanical Engineering and Lab
Academic year:

2024
Views:

137

Pages:

10
Author:

Makhi Crane

Chapter 4 A Statistical Profile of the Engineering Profession 4.1 Statistical Overview      How many people study engineering? What are the most common majors? What kind of job market is there for engineers? How much do engineers earn? How many women and minorities study engineering? 4.2 College Enrollment Trends of Engineering Students    1950s-1960s: 60,000-80,000 engineering students 1970s marked the lowest number of students, at 43,000 Engineering peaked in 1980s, with around 118,000 students 4.3 College Majors of Recent Engineering Students   Of approximately 350,000 full-time undergrad engineering students, just less than 1/3 (124,000) were majoring in computer and electrical engineering Just over 32,000 were “undecided” 4.4 Degrees in Engineering   Steady decline in Engineering degrees awarded between 1986 and 1995. Since then, there have been many fluctuations, but as of data of 2000, there were 63,300 engineering degrees awarded For a long time, electrical awarded the highest number of degrees, but that was eventually replaced by mechanical engineering 4.5 Job Placement Trends   1999-2000 was the hottest year for engineering majors to find jobs As the number of engineering students declines, employers must “fight” harder to get whatever students they can get their hands on to fill vacant positions. This has led to a very promising job placement ratio 4.6 Salaries of Engineers    On the whole, engineers make more money than any other graduate with another degree Electrical, computer, and computer science recently have led the way, with average salaries from a Bachelor degree starting at around $52,000 A Ph.D. in computer science will earn a starting average of around $84,000 4.7 Diversity in the Profession   For a long time, white males dominated engineering Recently, women, foreign nationals, and various minority students have entered colleges and universities with an engineering diploma in mind 4.8 Distribution of Engineers by Field of Study    Electrical engineering employs the highest number of engineers, nearly 25%, numbering close to 375,000 Mechanical employs almost 250,000 Civil is the next highest “populated”, with 200,000 workers 4.11 Words of Advice from Employers  Looking for graduates who possess:      Excellent communication skills Teamwork Leadership Computer/Technical proficiency Hard working attitude