by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 665 U.S. colleges awarded 14,789 degrees and certificates in General Engineering. Associate degrees are the most popular award, at 38% of graduates. College Factual ranks 318 schools in its 2027 Best General Engineering Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $79,134 one year after completing, rising to $94,387 after four years.
Does math and science come easily to you? Do you love figuring out the science behind cars, robots, airplanes, and bridges? Engineering is not just about being good at math, rather it appeals to the person who loves to understand the process of how things work, how structures are built, and the math that it takes to design new buildings, products and systems. This major allows you to learn how things actually run and work. It teaches you to create and build things that we need. This includes items such as bridges, but also can get as technical as robots that are small enough to fit into the human body.
Courses will vary depending on the institution you attend, but some of the basics include: chemistry, engineering, economics and ethics for engineers, engineering law, geology, geophysics, and introductions to computer programming, numerical methods, physics, and some business courses.
You may also choose to major in pre-engineering which prepares you to transfer into a four year program in any of the numerous fields in engineering.
A major in General Engineering covers Engineering, General.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, general engineering is a popular field of study, with 14,789 degrees awarded annually. 665 colleges award general engineering degrees, an average of 22 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 460.
By level, the 14,789 awards include 464 certificates, 5,599 associate degrees, 3,365 bachelor’s degrees, 4,892 master’s degrees and 469 doctorates.
Women earned 24% of general engineering degrees and certificates in the latest year (3,616 of 14,789). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (6,180) and Hispanic or Latino (2,355), and international students earned 3,352.
College Factual ranks 318 schools in its 2027 Best General Engineering Schools ranking, including 170 for associate degrees, 79 for bachelor’s degrees, 53 for master’s degrees and 18 for doctorates. It also ranks general engineering schools within 35 states. In all, 665 colleges offer general engineering programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value General Engineering Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common general engineering credential is the associate degree: 5,599 of the 14,789 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to general engineering call most for Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking and Speaking, and for knowledge of Engineering and Technology, Mathematics and Design, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Deductive Reasoning.
Engineers use math and science concepts to analyze and solve practical problems. These problems will be as vast as oil-drilling techniques, to MP3 players and everything in-between. This means you should have some natural ability in both math and science. Algorithms will become part of your life. You should be willing to work hard to figure out complex problems. Students will need to be dedicated and determined, and learn to relish the joy of discovering something new or making a breakthrough on a problem.
Most engineers work in teams to complete projects. You will find it necessary to acquire good communication and collaborative skills. Successful Students will listen to recommendations from classmates and teachers, while pulling their own weight in completing group-work. For many upper level classes you will get to pick your teams to design and build your project. It is important to pick classmates who you can work well with in order to accomplish the task at hand. Strong speaking skills will come in handy when giving presentations on your findings.
As a general engineer major, you will learn how to gather and interpret data. Challenging math and science courses will be present in every semester of college. Many colleges require a certain grade point average in order to stay in the program. This is a major for people who are innovative, creative, flexible, and focused.
Many schools will require you to obtain some sort of internship in engineering either over the summer or during the semester.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a general engineering degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 464 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 5,599 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 3,365 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 4,892 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 469 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to general engineering, at 34.7%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 34.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 26.6% |
| Master’s degree | 11.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 6.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 5.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.5% |
| Some college courses | 2.3% |
| First professional degree | 1.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.8% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.4% |
Source: O*NET Online.
12 occupations are related to General Engineering, with an average median salary of $92,493; the strongest outlook belongs to Solar Energy Systems Engineers, at 14.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Engineer, Research Engineer, Project Engineer and Mechanical Drawing Teacher.
As a general engineer, you will study many different fields of engineering briefly. Some choose to get a master's degree in a more specialized field. However, you may get a job working with other engineers on a team to create a product or even to help market that particular product. You are also well prepared to work in a non-engineering field like law.
Rate of pay and growth in the career field vary greatly depending on what field of Engineering you choose to specialize in.
The occupation related to general engineering with the most projected jobs is Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,297,204.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Nanosystems Engineers | 358,781 | -2.9% |
| Wind Energy Engineers | 353,305 | 12.7% |
| Engineers, All Other | 292,948 | -4.3% |
| Solar Energy Systems Engineers | 266,797 | 14.5% |
| Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar | 227,778 | 6.7% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
General Engineering graduates earn a median $79,134 one year after completing their program, $94,387 after four years and $91,819 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $79,134 |
| 4 years | $94,387 |
| 5 years | $91,819 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to general engineering is Engineers, All Other, with a median salary of $136,628.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Engineers, All Other | $136,628 |
| Solar Energy Systems Engineers | $116,775 |
| Mechatronics Engineers | $115,569 |
| Microsystems Engineers | $104,558 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Wind Energy Engineers | $98,460 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Photonics Engineers | $84,667 |
General Engineering includes 3 concentrations that together award 14,789 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Engineering, General (10,652), Pre-Engineering (3,489) and Applied Engineering (648). It has 40 similar majors in the Engineering field, which together award 188,246 degrees a year; the largest are Mechanical Engineering (43,874), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (27,513) and Computer Engineering (21,335). Browse all Engineering majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Engineering, General | 10,652 |
| Pre-Engineering | 3,489 |
| Applied Engineering | 648 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 43,874 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 27,513 |
| Computer Engineering | 21,335 |
| Civil Engineering | 19,856 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 14,592 |
| Chemical Engineering | 10,559 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 10,170 |
| Industrial Engineering | 8,023 |
| Systems Engineering | 4,489 |
| Engineering, Other | 3,344 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
