The highest-paying engineering jobs share three unique traits: innovation, rare skills, and a dash of risk-taking.
Put them all together and—bam!—you’ve got yourself a $500k per year engineering gig!
I know it sounds insane, but it’s not. Let me show you how these traits propel engineers into the stratosphere of salary, and how you can learn from them to boost your own career.
First off, the highest-paid engineers aren’t just good, they’re out-of-this-world amazing. We’re talking about 10x engineers who can juggle mountains of responsibility while still knocking it out of the park.
#1 Rockin’ rare technical specialties
With employment, the law of supply and demand is king. It’s one of the leading drivers for how much an employer is willing to pay you. So, if you have a specialty skill low in supply and high in demand, employers will bend over backward for you. It’s all very similar to pro sports and superstar athletes.
As a superstar athlete, teams will literally throw money and roll the red carpet out for you. All in the hope you sign on the dotted line to join their team to make them a contender. Because the skills of superstar athletes are extremely rare. Almost as rare as a bigfoot sighting…
In engineering, superstar engineers are just as rare. You rarely hear about them though, because they’re not flamboyant. Rather, they’re almost always reserved as their work does the talking for them. These maestro engineers all have a combination of the following traits:
- A history of unearthing innovative tech or processes
- A knack for unique problem-solving that saves employers big bucks
- Years of crushing high-demand work
- A talent for efficient, effective, high-level technical work
- A tireless work ethic and a burning passion for innovation
In short, you want skills that are rare and in demand. That means peeking into the future to see where technology is headed so you can stay ahead of the game.
#2 Be an innovation machine and build a better tomorrow
Having killer skills is fantastic, but if you’re stuck in the wrong niche, you’ll never make bank. Instead, you’ll just be a powerhouse of untapped potential.
Picture this: you’re a world-class programmer, but you’re working at a massive bank, doing the same old thing—processing core financial accounting systems. You’re not doing anything groundbreaking, and you’re using a measly 10% of your abilities. The worst part? Your bosses can’t tell you apart from your colleagues. I get it, it stinks—you’re ten times more capable than your peers. But can you really blame them? How would they know any better?
After years of working at a bank, all your bosses know is the banking process. Your tasks are simple, so you never get a chance to show off your full skillset. And let’s be real, most bank employees aren’t dreaming up world-changing inventions. It’s not a diss on bank jobs, just the truth.
Now, imagine working for a top Artificial Intelligence (AI) company instead. You’d be pushing your skills to the max, and your innovations could propel society forward. In this environment, your skills would be in high demand and recognized by your peers and superiors. They’d see how you could revolutionize humanity and create billion-dollar industries.
And the best part? You’d be paid accordingly. If a bank pays you $80,000 per year, an AI company might pay you over a million bucks. The point is to align your abilities with industries that have a bright future. That way, you can fully leverage your skills and maximize your income.
Learn from the success of Standard Oil Company
John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company, founded in 1870, revolutionized the oil industry. It soared to greatness when America was growing and no single oil leader dominated the scene. Rockefeller seized the moment and built one of the world’s largest oil companies.
Trying to do the same with ordinary oil products today? You’d flop big time. That’s why you need to think ahead and target future booming industries before they get crowded. It’s all about the first-mover advantage. Some hot future industries to watch are:
- Artificial intelligence
- Robotics
- Biohacking
- Clean energy
Get a head start by exploring all the different types of engineering and finding your perfect niche. The sky’s the limit!
#3 The Thrill of High-Risk Work
High-risk work often comes with a fat paycheck, and for good reason. Take underwater welders, for example—they rake in half a million dollars because they’re doing seriously dangerous and valuable work. Not only do they risk their own lives, but their work can impact public safety too.
High-risk projects usually involve two crucial, intertwined factors:
- Cost: a project with a price tag in the hundreds of millions
- Injuries and death: design failures that could lead to injuries or fatalities
When it comes to safety, I’m stating the obvious. But you need to go the extra mile in engineering to ensure public safety, which drives up project costs. At the same time, if people get hurt because of your work, the liability is massive—enough to bankrupt a company.
A lot is riding on high-risk engineering projects, so the engineers involved need to be top-notch. And like superstar athletes, they demand the big bucks!
The doctor pay grade analogy
Take doctors, for instance. A cardiologist’s salary far exceeds that of a primary care doctor—and for good reason. Cardiologists perform heart surgeries, with life-or-death consequences, while primary care doctors mostly provide general advice you could easily find on Google.
The same risk-reward model applies to engineering. One engineer designs 120-volt lighting for malls, while another leads the creation of bridges spanning turbulent seas. The latter is responsible for thousands of lives and, unsurprisingly, earns a much higher salary than the lighting engineer. This brings to mind a popular saying:
With great risk often comes great reward.
If you’re not making high-stakes decisions, you’re probably not in a high-risk job. These positions aren’t exactly a walk in the park.
A solid way to judge a job’s risk factor is by looking at the salary. Most of the time, a salary will mirror the level of risk in a job. But if innovation and specialized skills aren’t in the mix, even a high-risk job might not be a cash cow. Take structural engineers who design everyday bridges, for example. Their designs put tons of lives on the line, but they’re not exactly rolling in dough.
“What makes the highest paying engineering jobs?” wrap up
The engineering world is chock-full of high-paying jobs. But just like in any other field, only the cream of the crop snag these positions. So mull over how you can hit all three marks we talked about, and make yourself a contender.
At the end of the day, cash equals power. But remember, with great power comes great responsibility.
What are the highest-paying engineering jobs you’ve heard of? What do you think plays the biggest role in landing those top-dollar engineering gigs? And are you ready to tackle the responsibilities that come with high-paying engineering jobs?
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Koosha started Engineer Calcs in 2020 to help people better understand the engineering and construction industry, and to discuss various science and engineering-related topics to make people think. He has been working in the engineering and tech industry in California for over 15 years now and is a licensed professional electrical engineer, and also has various entrepreneurial pursuits.
Koosha has an extensive background in the design and specification of electrical systems with areas of expertise including power generation, transmission, distribution, instrumentation and controls, and water distribution and pumping as well as alternative energy (wind, solar, geothermal, and storage).
Koosha is most interested in engineering innovations, the cosmos, our history and future, sports, and fitness.