<p>The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has just released its employment statistics and projections until 2020. You can browse the handbook at Home</a> : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. I am making a partial summary of some of the results which may be of interest to visitors of this forum.</p>
<p>Of the top 20 fastest growing professions, the only engineering or computing field to make the list was Biomedical Engineering, with a whopping 62% employment increase projected over the 2010-2020 period (it came in third on the list of fastest growing professions). No engineering or computing specialty made the cut for most new jobs over the projection period (note that the number of jobs in Biomedical Engineering, and most computing and engineering specialties, is small by comparison to many non-technical fields). No engineering or computing professions (except for managerial roles) made the list for top 20 highest paying professions (using median pay).</p>
<p>The median annual wages of all engineering occupations was $83,340 in 2010. The median annual wages of all computing occupations was $73,710 in 2010. The median annual wages of all software development occupations was $90,530 in 2010. The median annual wages of all occupations was $33,840 in 2010.</p>
<p>The projected job growth of all engineering occupations over the 2010-2020 period is 11%, about as fast as the average for all occupations. The projected job growth of all computing occupations over the 2010-2020 period is 22%, faster than the average for all occupations. The projected job growth of all software development occupations over the 2010-2020 period is 30%, much faster than the average for all occupations. The projected job growth of all occupations over the 2010-2020 period is 14%.</p>
<p>Aerospace Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $97,480. The lowest 10% earned less than $60,620, and the top 10% earned more than $143,360. The number of jobs was 81,000 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 4,000 jobs by 2020, a 5% increase, slower than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Agricultural Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $71,090. The lowest 10% earned less than $42,210, and the top 10% earned more than $115,150. The number of jobs was 2,700 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 200 jobs by 2020, a 9% increase, slower than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Biological Engineering. See Agricultural Engineering.</p>
<p>Biomedical Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $81,540. The lowest 10% earned less than $49,690, and the top 10% earned more than $126,990. The number of jobs was 15,700 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 9,700 jobs by 2020, a 62% increase, much faster than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Chemical Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $90,300. The lowest 10% earned less than $56,520, and the top 10% earned more than $139,670. The number of jobs was 30,200 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 1,800 jobs by 2020, a 6% increase, slower than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Civil Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $77,560. The lowest 10% earned less than $50,560, and the top 10% earned more than $119,320. The number of jobs was 262,800 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 51,100 jobs by 2020, a 19% increase, about as fast as the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Computer Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $98,810. The lowest 10% earned less than $61,360, and the top 10% earned more than $147,890. The number of jobs was 70,000 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 6,300 jobs by 2020, a 9% increase, slower than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Computer Programming. In 2010, the median pay was $71,380. The lowest 10% earned less than $40,820, and the top 10% earned more than $114,180. The number of jobs was 363,100 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 43,700 jobs by 2020, a 12% increase, about as fast as the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Computer Systems Analysis. In 2010, the median pay was $77,740. The lowest 10% earned less than $48,360, and the top 10% earned more than $119,070. The number of jobs was 544,000 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 120,400 jobs by 2020, a 22% increase, faster than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Database Administration. In 2010, the median pay was $73,490. The lowest 10% earned less than $41,570, and the top 10% earned more than $115,600. The number of jobs was 110,800 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 33,900 jobs by 2020, a 31% increase, much faster than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Electrical Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $84,540. The lowest 10% earned less than $54,030, and the top 10% earned more than $128,610. The number of jobs was 154,000 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 10,700 jobs by 2020, a 7% increase, slower than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Electronics Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $90,170. The lowest 10% earned less than $57,860, and the top 10% earned more than $135,080. The number of jobs was 140,000 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 6,800 jobs by 2020, a 5% increase, slower than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Environmental Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $78,740. The lowest 10% earned less than $48,980, and the top 10% earned more than $119,060. The number of jobs was 51,400 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 11,300 jobs by 2020, a 22% increase, faster than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Geological Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $82,870. The lowest 10% earned less than $48,950, and the top 10% earned more than $129,700. The number of jobs was 6,400 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 600 jobs by 2020, a 10% increase, about as fast as the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Health & Safety Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $75,430. The lowest 10% earned less than $45,530, and the top 10% earned more than $114,470. The number of jobs was 23,700 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 3,100 jobs by 2020, a 13% increase, about as fast as the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Industrial Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $76,100. The lowest 10% earned less than $49,700, and the top 10% earned more than $112,830. The number of jobs was 203,900 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 13,100 jobs by 2020, a 6% increase, slower than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Marine Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $79,920. The lowest 10% earned less than $43,200, and the top 10% earned more than $144,350. The number of jobs was 5,900 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 1,000 jobs by 2020, a 17% increase, about as fast as the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Materials Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $83,120. The lowest 10% earned less than $51,680, and the top 10% earned more than $126,800. The number of jobs was 22,300 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 1,900 jobs by 2020, a 9% increase, slower than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Mechanical Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $78,160. The lowest 10% earned less than $50,550, and the top 10% earned more than $119,480. The number of jobs was 243,200 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 21,300 jobs by 2020, a 9% increase, slower than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Mining Engineering. See Geological Engineering.</p>
<p>Nuclear Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $99,920. The lowest 10% earned less than $67,250, and the top 10% earned more than $142,290. The number of jobs was 19,100 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 2,000 jobs by 2020, a 10% increase, about as fast as the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Petroleum Engineering. In 2010, the median pay was $114,080. The lowest 10% earned less than $63,480, and the top 10% earned more than $166,400. The number of jobs was 30,200 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 5,100 jobs by 2020, a 17% increase, about as fast as the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Security, Web, & Network. In 2010, the median pay was $75,660. The lowest 10% earned less than $43,190, and the top 10% earned more than $119,940. The number of jobs was 302,300 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 65,700 jobs by 2020, a 22% increase, faster than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Software Development, Applications. In 2010, the median pay was $87,790. The lowest 10% earned less than $54,360, and the top 10% earned more than $133,110. The number of jobs was 520,800 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 143,800 jobs by 2020, a 28% increase, faster than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>Software Development, Systems. In 2010, the median pay was $94,180. The lowest 10% earned less than $61,040, and the top 10% earned more than $143,330. The number of jobs was 392,300 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 127,200 jobs by 2020, a 32% increase, much faster than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>System Administration. In 2010, the median pay was $69,160. The lowest 10% earned less than $42,400, and the top 10% earned more than $108,090. The number of jobs was 347,200 in 2010, and employment is projected to grow by 96,600 jobs by 2020, a 28% increase, faster than the average for all occupations.</p>
<p>I will be happy to join in the discussion of any of the report's findings.</p>