Top Engineering Careers and Salaries After Graduation
Todd B. Gruel
From designing aircraft to developing next-generation software, engineers drive the innovation that shapes our world. At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, you'll gain the skills, connections and experience to join them.
The Daytona Beach Campus's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) and the Prescott Campus's Department of Computer, Electrical and Software Engineering (CESE) offer programs designed to turn your passion for technology into a career with real-world impact.
Embry-Riddle Engineering Programs and Career Outcomes
As a student, you won’t just learn theory — you’ll put it into practice through labs, internships, capstone projects and one-on-one mentorship with faculty who’ve already made their mark in the field.
Embry-Riddle’s bachelor’s degrees give you the skills and experience to step into top roles on day one, with graduates contributing to industry leaders such as:
- Airlines – Delta Air Lines
- Aviation and Power Systems – General Electric
- Defense – Northrop Grumman
- Software and Technology – Microsoft
- Space Exploration – NASA
Whatever your goal is, Embry-Riddle alumni are proving what’s possible across a range of engineering and computational science disciplines — building careers that shape industries and inspire the future.
Computer Science
Computer science powers fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and data science, leading to high-demand STEM careers solving complex computational challenges.
Key Skills: Programming languages, algorithms and data structures, databases, AI and machine learning, cybersecurity and systems management
Common Career Paths: Graduates pursue roles as software developers, web and mobile/UX designers, information security analysts, systems architects or research scientists
Median Annual Wage for Computer and Information Research Scientists (a Comparable Discipline): The median annual wage for computer and information scientists was $140,910 in May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Projected Job Growth Rate: Employment of computer and information research scientists is projected to grow 20% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Meet Computer Science graduate Tahmina Tisha ('24)
Tahmina Tisha (’24) is a computer scientist at Air Force Materiel Command, where she collaborates with developers to solve problems and optimize system performance. Using her Embry-Riddle training alongside skills in Appian, TypeScript and SQL, she builds dashboards, updates interfaces and streamlines the efficiency of workflows.
Read about Tahmina Tisha’s experiences at Embry-Riddle, her club involvement and dynamic role working for Pearson, where she enhanced their marketing processes.
Systems Engineering
Systems engineering integrates hardware, software and human processes to design mission-critical systems with strong career growth across aerospace and industry.
Key Skills: Designing and integrating complex systems across platforms, with expertise in cloud computing, virtualization, networking, programming, automation and leadership
Career Paths: Career options include systems engineer, cloud infrastructure specialist, enterprise architect, automation engineer or technical project manager in aerospace, IT or defense
Median Annual Wage for Industrial Engineers (a Comparable Discipline): The median annual wage for industrial engineers was $101,140 in May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Projected Job Growth Rate: Employment of industrial engineers is projected to grow 11% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Systems Engineering students learn to design, integrate and optimize project components to enhance the performance, reliability and efficiency of integrated systems. Graduates are prepared to lead complex, cross-disciplinary engineering collaborations across the full system life cycle.
Explore our overview of the systems engineering field.
Computer Engineering
Computer engineering connects hardware and software in areas like IoT, robotics and embedded systems, offering consistently strong outcomes in technology development.
Key Skills: Combine hardware and software expertise through embedded systems, microcontroller programming, digital circuit design, computer architecture and software-hardware integration
Career Paths: Opportunities span hardware design, robotics and automation, embedded systems, IoT integration and semiconductor or chip engineering
Median Annual Wage for Computer Hardware Engineers (a Comparable Discipline): The median annual wage for hardware engineers was $155,020 in May 2024, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Projected Job Growth Rate: Employment of computer hardware engineers is projected to grow 7% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Meet Computer Engineering graduate Joshua Parmenter ('22)
Joshua Parmenter (’22) works in the aerospace and defense sector as a Project ARC software fellow at AFWERX and a cyber capabilities product manager at Shadow’s Edge Software. His roles span cyber defense strategies and prototyping with Arduino, Raspberry Pi and VHDL to design integrated solutions.
Read about Joshua Parmenter’s experiences at Embry-Riddle, leading a NASA-funded student project designing a research satellite to advance aerospace technology.
Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering drives innovation in power systems, telecommunications and renewable energy, with versatile and impactful career opportunities worldwide.
Key Skills: Knowledge of circuit and power system design, embedded and control systems, renewable energy, signal processing, communications and hardware optimization
Career Paths: Graduates often become control systems engineers, circuit designers, embedded hardware developers or specialists in energy and renewable power systems
Median Annual Wage for Electrical and Electronics Engineers: The median annual wage for electrical engineers was $118,780 in May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Projected Job Growth Rate: Overall employment of electrical and electronics engineers is projected to grow 7% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Meet Electrical Engineering graduate Chloeleen Mena ('20)
Chloeleen Mena (’20) is a principal electrical engineer at Northrop Grumman, applying circuit theory and power systems to real-world challenges. She uses tools like MATLAB, SPICE and Altium to design and test reliable solutions.
Read about Chloeleen Mena’s experiences at Embry-Riddle, including working on a Mars Helicopter with NASA, which she blogged about, for the 2020 Perseverance mission.
Software Engineering
Software engineering delivers scalable digital solutions from apps to autonomous systems, offering high-paying, fast-growing STEM career paths.
Key Skills: Knowledge of agile and DevOps practices, multiple programming languages, scalable system design, software architecture, version control, testing and debugging
Career Paths: Work as a software engineer, full-stack developer, DevOps/cloud engineer, quality assurance (QA) automation specialist or software architect/technical lead
Median Annual Wage for Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers (a Comparable Discipline): The median annual wage for software developers was $131,450 in May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Projected Job Growth Rate: Overall employment of software developers, quality assurance analysts and testers is projected to grow 15% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Meet Software Engineering graduate Carly Bosma ('25)
Carly Bosma (’25) works as a software engineer at The Boeing Company, creating scalable applications. She combines coding and architecture with modern workflows, using Agile, Git, Docker and Kubernetes in her development process.
Read more about Carly Bosma's experiences at Embry-Riddle, and learn how she discovered software engineering, earned a scholarship and interned at Florida's NextGen Test Bed.
Engineering Education with an Impact
Working directly with organizations that shape global industries, Embry-Riddle students gain hands-on experience while building lasting career connections. With a 160,000-strong alumni network worldwide, our graduates join a community that opens doors to opportunities across the globe.
Are you ready to learn, grow and achieve your goals?
*Source: Institutional Research, 2022-2023 Cohort
innovation
Campus Labs: The Heart of Hands-On LearningLearning through hands-on experience allows students to put their knowledge to the test, engage with their studies and practice skills that are directly transferable to their roles after graduation.
Embry‑Riddle students are no strangers to performing research. Our Eagles are given plentiful opportunities to work with faculty on a vast array of research topics.
How Research Experiences for Undergraduates Make a Difference
Next year, Olivia Wood will graduate and go to work for SpaceX. As a student-engineer, she is already part of a team launching record-setting rockets.
Olivia Wood Is Starting Her Career With a Bang
