United States · Pay by job
Architecture and Engineering jobs: pay and take-home
BLS counts 36 architecture and engineering jobs, done by about 2,617,130 people. The best paid is computer hardware engineer at a median of $161,740; the most common is civil engineer, at $100,840 (BLS, May 2025).
BLS group: Architecture and Engineering Occupations. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
What does each architecture and engineering job pay?
| Job | Median pay | Take-home in Texas | People | Growth to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $161,740 | $121,815 | 76,660 | +9.1% |
| Petroleum Engineer | $144,910 | $110,312 | 18,060 | +2% |
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 | $103,511 | 67,710 | +8.3% |
| Nuclear Engineer | $133,970 | $102,834 | 15,280 | +0.4% |
| Electronics Engineer | $130,220 | $100,271 | 96,900 | +3.7% |
| Chemical Engineer | $125,040 | $96,731 | 21,070 | +4.7% |
| Other Engineer | $122,930 | $95,289 | 154,070 | +3.7% |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 | $93,693 | 198,750 | +9.9% |
| Health and Safety Engineer | $115,160 | $89,845 | 21,450 | +5.4% |
| Materials Engineer | $112,860 | $88,227 | 22,770 | +7.5% |
| Marine Engineer and Naval Architect | $112,230 | $87,784 | 8,250 | +6.7% |
| Biomedical Engineer | $109,370 | $85,772 | 23,480 | +7.6% |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 | $84,182 | 38,340 | +6.3% |
| Mining and Geological Engineer | $106,220 | $83,556 | 6,080 | +3.8% |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 | $82,071 | 296,810 | +11.2% |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 | $80,897 | 365,740 | +12.4% |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 | $79,771 | 367,840 | +6.4% |
| Architect | $99,280 | $78,673 | 106,770 | +4.3% |
| Agricultural Engineer | $98,590 | $78,188 | 1,480 | +6.9% |
| Aerospace Engineering Technician | $82,890 | $67,143 | 11,280 | +11.9% |
| Cartographer and Photogrammetrist | $81,390 | $66,088 | 14,260 | +7.4% |
| Landscape Architect | $79,870 | $65,019 | 19,600 | +4.4% |
| Other Engineering Technician | $78,350 | $63,949 | 59,930 | +2.8% |
| Electrical Engineering Technician | $78,190 | $63,837 | 95,130 | +2.4% |
| Electrical and Electronics Drafter | $76,870 | $62,908 | 17,920 | -3.4% |
| Surveyor | $75,440 | $61,902 | 50,830 | +5.8% |
| Mechanical Engineering Technician | $74,510 | $61,248 | 36,190 | +1.3% |
| Electro-Mechanical Technician | $73,900 | $60,819 | 15,520 | +2.6% |
| Mechanical Drafter | $71,550 | $59,165 | 39,960 | -6% |
| Calibration Technician | $67,820 | $56,541 | 16,540 | +4.8% |
| Architectural and Civil Drafter | $66,150 | $55,332 | 103,700 | +5.2% |
| Industrial Engineering Technician | $66,120 | $55,307 | 75,570 | +3.1% |
| Civil Engineering Technician | $64,950 | $54,367 | 68,520 | +3.2% |
| Other Drafter | $63,520 | $53,218 | 14,470 | -7.3% |
| Environmental Engineering Technician | $59,920 | $50,326 | 12,190 | +3.1% |
| Surveying and Mapping Technician | $54,240 | $45,762 | 58,010 | +5.8% |
Take-home is for a single filer on the national median (hourly-only jobs: 2,080 hours), after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare for 2026; Texas has no state income tax. Each job’s page has every state.
What do other kinds of jobs pay?
- Management 37 jobs
- Business and Finance 32 jobs
- Computer and Math 21 jobs
- Science 48 jobs
- Community and Social Service 17 jobs
- Legal 8 jobs
- Education and Library 64 jobs
- Arts, Design, Sports and Media 41 jobs
- Healthcare Practitioners 71 jobs
- Healthcare Support 17 jobs
- Protective Service 24 jobs
- Food Service 17 jobs
- Cleaning and Grounds 10 jobs
- Personal Care and Service 32 jobs
- Sales 22 jobs
- Office and Admin Support 54 jobs
- Farming, Fishing and Forestry 13 jobs
- Construction and Extraction 60 jobs
- Installation, Maintenance and Repair 51 jobs
- Production 105 jobs
- Transportation and Material Moving 50 jobs
Search every job: pay by job.
Questions about architecture and engineering pay
What is the highest-paying architecture and engineering job?
Computer Hardware Engineer, with a median of $161,740 (BLS, May 2025). Next come petroleum engineer ($144,910) and aerospace engineer ($134,960).
What is the most common architecture and engineering job?
Civil Engineer: about 367,840 people across the US, with a median of $100,840.
Which architecture and engineering jobs are growing fastest?
BLS expects the most growth from 2025 to 2035 in industrial engineer (+12.4%), aerospace engineering technician (+11.9%), mechanical engineer (+11.2%).
What do architecture and engineering jobs pay after tax?
On the median pay, a single filer in Texas keeps $121,815 a year as computer hardware engineer and $79,771 as civil engineer, after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare. Each job’s page works it out for 19 states.
What education do architecture and engineering jobs need?
For 22 of the 36 jobs here, BLS lists “bachelor's degree” as the usual education. Each job’s page gives its own.