2025 salary snapshot: Engineers average $123k but pipeline of rookies running thin

Hiring headaches are nothing new in STEM, where the pipeline of qualified scientists and engineers is in short supply. Engineering.com’s 2025 Engineering Salary Survey puts hard numbers behind the worries. Nearly 60% of the 591 surveyed engineers have been in the trenches for more than two decades, while newer graduates are relatively rare.

In terms of engineering focus areas, design still comes out on top. Nearly four in 10 engineers say their primary gig is design work. R&D ranks a second at 13%, while project management (9%) and controls (6%) are next in line.

Get the full scoop in Engineering.com’s 2025 Engineering Salary Survey: