According to a new salary survey by ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) and ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers), the average salary for engineers in 2012 is $95,603, an increase of $2,877 over last year. Annual income for engineers, including commissions and fees, increased nearly four percent from 2011 to 2012. The data were compiled from an online survey of 12,720 engineers in multiple age groups and employed in different industry sectors and technical disciplines. Nearly 72% of respondents indicated a salary increase.
Who earns the most? Engineers working in the field of ocean engineering represent the highest full-time salaried median income, at $169,000. With regard to geography, median annual income for engineers is highest in California, Nevada, and Hawaii, and lowest in the Upper Mountain states. Nearly 57% of respondents receive a standard benefits plan from their employers, while the remaining group receives flexible benefits.
ASME and ASCE have been collaborating on the salary survey report for the last five years. The firm enetrix, a division of Gallup Inc., prepared The Engineering Income and Salary Survey, a broad report which maps key income data and trends based on length of experience, supervisory responsibility, education level, gender, ethnicity, work location, and other criteria. For more information, visit asme.org.