Mechanical Engineers

Employment for mechanical engineers is expected to grow by about 4 percent, about as fast as the average for all occupations, through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Although overall employment in manufacturing is expected to decline, there will be good opportunities for engineers who help design and create transportation equipment (especially hybrid-electric, energy-efficient, and clean diesel automobiles) and industrial machinery. The DOL predicts that employment will be strong for mechanical engineers who are involved with new technologies such as biotechnology, alternative energies, remanufacturing (rebuilding goods for use in a second life), nanotechnology, and materials science. Mechanical engineers who are skilled in computational design and simulation will be in high demand by companies seeking to streamline their product development cycles. In the construction industry, job opportunities will increase more than average during the same time span.