According to a 2009 survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 1.6 million engineers working in the United States. The majority are civil, electrical, mechanical, electronics and computer engineers, and most universities, technical schools and community colleges offer these programs. Specialized branches of the profession are taught in fewer colleges. Several hundred schools teach civil engineering, for example, while mining engineering is taught in only 18. Programs with the same name will also vary from school to school, some having a practical focus and others being research-centered.
Every state is host to schools with engineering programs, the majority accredited through the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. A bachelor's degree in engineering begins with two years of general scientific and humanities courses, like any other science degree. Typically the courses to make up an engineering specialization fall into the third and fourth years, and will vary according to the branch of engineering studied. Besides the specifically engineering-related courses, programs generally include a grounding in mathematics and statistics, research methodology, written communications and introductions to various scientific disciplines such as physics and chemistry.
While less common than undergraduate programs, the federal College Navigator database shows more than 300 accredited graduate programs in various engineering disciplines. Programs offer master's degrees in engineering, doctorates, or in some cases joint degrees with other disciplines, usually management. Master's degrees require two additional years of advanced course work, and may involve a research component in some fields. Doctorates begin with a similar program of course work, followed by independent research in the subject area. Many engineers with bachelor's degrees add an MBA, which also contributes to advancement.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that engineering will keep pace with the rest of the economy through 2018. Biomedical engineering, a relatively new field, will enjoy a projected growth rate of 72 percent through 2018. Other specializations showing rapid growth are environmental, civil and petroleum engineers. The 2009 survey by the BLS also indicates that engineers enjoy high entry-level salaries, with petroleum, chemical and mining engineers the highest earners. Further income data may be found on the BLS Occupational Economic Statistics site, or the Department of Labor's more detailed O*Net Online.