22%

18%

RAGE SALARIES BY
GRAPHIC REGION

THE 10 MOST PRESSING

PROBLEMS AT WORK

WAYS ENGINE
THEIR BONUS

2O14 ENGINEERING
18%
TYPES OF CONTINUING EDUCATION COSTS COMPANIES ARE
WILLING TO REIMBURSE TO ENGINEERS SATISFACTION WITH YOUR
CURRENT POSITION

SALARY
ARE YOU
SUFFICIENTLY
CHALLENGED?

25%

HOW
INTELLECTUALLY
CHALLENGED YOU
ARE AT WORK?

WAYS ENGINEERS ARE EARNING

THEIR BONUSES IN 2014

AVERAGE SALARIES
BY TYPE OF DESIGN
YOU DO

SURVEY

18%

AVERAGE SALARIES BY TYPE

OF DESIGN WORK YOU DO

OUR COMPENSATION COMPARES

AT OTHER COMPANIES ARE PAYING
LEVEL OF CONCERN
OVER LOSING YOUR JOB
TO OUTSOURCING

16%

10 MOST PR
44% THE
PROBLEMS AT W

ENGINEERING
BY THE

AVERAGE SALARIES
34%
BY JOB FUNCTION
AVERAGE SALARIES BY
60%INDUSTRY

numbers

TOP 10 PERKS IN
2014 ARE YOU
SUFFICIENTLY
CHALLENGED?
HOW YOUR CO
SATISFACTION WITH COMPARES TO
YOUR CURRENT
ARE
POSITION
PAYING

25%
9%

AVERAGE SALARIES
BY ENGINEERING
TITLE
ENGINEERING SPECIALTIES IN
HIGHEST DEMAND
WAYS ENGINEERS ARE EARNING SIGNING BONUSES/
THEIR BONUSES IN 2014
INCENTIVES FOR NEW
ENGINEERING
AVERAGE SALARIES BY
HIRES
YEARS OF ENGINEERING
EXPERIENCE

37%

14%

9%

10 MOST PRESSING
27% THE
PROBLEMS AT WORK AVERAGE SALARIES BY LEVEL
OF EDUCATION
SPONSORED BY

ELLECTUALLY
NGED YOUR
ORK

WHO IS INVOLVED IN
THE DECISION
TO OUTSOURCE?Copyright 2014 BY Penton, all rights reserved
AVERAGE SALARIES B
SIZE OF COMPANY

2014 Salary Survey

Managing
Heterogeneous
Multicore Software
Development

S
BILL WONG | Embedded/Systems/Software Editor
[email protected]

ometimes, hardware hasnt been delivered yet, or its otherwise

difficult to obtain. Instruction-accurate (IA) simulators, or virtual
platforms, allow developers to get their software running without
having access to the hardware. Also, an IA simulators debugging
features may be more robust than those available in real hardware, even hardware with JTAG support. Virtual platforms are more than just an instruction
set simulator (ISS) since they provide peripheral simulation as well.
Mentor Graphics designs its software development tools to handle a
range of platforms from small, single-core microcontrollers to multicore
system-on-chip (SoC) platforms. Symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) systems
have had plenty of support, including hypervisors. They may run virtual
machines (VMs) with a variety of operating systems (OSs), but the overall
management comprises VMs. This is much different from a heterogeneous
multicore system like Texas Instruments latest OMAP5, which includes a
mix of dual ARM Cortex-A15 and dual Cortex-M4 cores.
Developers have had to deal with the various OSs, middleware, and
development tools when addressing heterogeneous multicore systems.
Often, though, developers have had to provide the integration between the
various components and tools. This is not easy, and using software components from different vendors makes it even harder.
Mentor has not even chosen a name for this overarching embedded
development solution, which encompasses the companys wide range of
software and services. Developers, then, can use high-level OSs like Mentor
Embedded Linux and mix them with bare metal applications as well as the
Nucleus real-time operating system (RTOS) running on different cores.
Part of the solution is the support for interprocess communication (IPC)
and management such as VirtIO, the Multicore Communications API
(MCAPI) from the Multicore Association, rpmsg, and remoteproc. This
brings hypervisor support to heterogenous multicore, whereas the typical
hypervisor is restricted to an SMP platform. Mentor Graphics hypervisor
shares this restriction, but the entire solution does not allow developers to
use similar tools and application programming interfaces (APIs) across all
the cores in platforms like TIs OMAP5.
The new tools start at system configuration and move through booting
to IPC. They wind up with system visualization, which is a trace capability
that lets programmers track task states across the mix of cores within the
system. The boot support is an example of the integration details involved.
Keep in mind that booting can be a complex process with multiple heterogeneous cores as well as VMs. Secure boot support is on the horizon.
Hardware like the OMAP can handle it.
Tool vendors are going to need to address heterogeneous multicore environments as more and more appear. Integration and support are major issues
and even more so in this environment.

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ENGINEERING
BY THE

numbers

Engineering Feature
JAY MCSHERRY | Contributing Editor
[email protected]

2014 ENGINEERING

SALARY
SURVEY:
AN UNCERTAIN REBOUND?

Concerns persist despite improved career prospects in 2014

ngineers like certainty. There is, after all, nothing

probabilistic about Ohms Law. However, even as
career conditions show improvement following an
intense recession and a less-than-vigorous recovery,
engineers may have to learn to live with uncertainty.
Cash-rich corporations are less than eager to take on the
fixed overhead that comes with rehiringand thus continue to
embrace offshore outsourcing. Downward pressure on wages
and other compensation also continues in the form of H-1B
visa workers. And its anyones guess on how extensively economic slowdowns in markets such as Europe and China will
dampen growth prospects for U.S. companies going forward.
That said, the numbers in Electronic Designs 12th Annual
Salary & Opinion Survey should give engineers cause for optimism. According to this years nearly 3000 survey participants,
the profession stands in relatively good health. Most engineers
feel reasonably compensated, satisfied with their current position, and sufficiently challenged by their work. They are less
fearful about losing their jobs than beforehand, too.
As professional troubleshooters, though, engineers are
also alert to potential bugs in the program. Their concerns
include working conditions, shortsighted management, and
inadequate support on the part of their employers for the

continuous education thats essential in a fast-moving world.

They also have strong opinions about outsourcing.
So it appears that engineers will simply have to learn to
accept some degree of uncertainty in their liveseven as they
attempt to rigorously eliminate it from the performance of
their designs. The good news is that in a world fraught with
risk, the engineering game offers much better odds than most.
EMPLOYMENT UPSWING

The employment picture for engineers definitely brightened in 2014. The second quarter of the year saw a net gain of
38,000 engineering jobs, and the unemployment rate dropped
to 1.6%its lowest since 2007. The number of employed
engineers also returned to its 2013 average at the 300,000
level after dipping in the first quarter of the year. This is a pronounced improvement over 2013, when the unemployment
rate for EEs crept back up to 4.8% after trending downward
since its peak of 6.4% back in 2009.
According to data from the U.S. Labor Department Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS), however, engineering jobs actually
declined by 55,000 in the first quarter of 2014. This indicates
that the drop of the unemployment rate to 2.1% in Q1 likely
resulted from technical reasons such as a higher number of

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ENGINEERING
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EngineeringFeature

out-of-work engineers actively seeking employment.

The survey revealed other positive signs on the job front.
Only 11% of respondents anticipate their company scaling

ENGINEERING
BY THE

numbers
52
27
55
60
54
73
31

back engineering staff in the coming year, while 31% expect

their company to increase the number of engineering jobs in
2014. Thats slightly higher than the 28% who said their company would add engineering personnel last year.
Also, more than half (52%) say a recruitment specialist or
headhunter seeking engineering talent had approached them
within the past year. This indicates that competition may be
heating up for engineering skills and experience.

Average age
of the typical
engineer

Years of
experience for the
average engineer

Number of hours
engineers put in to
the job each week

Percentage who say

the career is as
promising today as it
was 5 years ago
Percentage
who say their
paychecks
grew in 2014
Percentage who say
their company is
funding part of
their retirement
Percentage who say
their company plans
to increase engineering
jobs this year

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EngineeringFeature

Some companies may be unprepared for this increasingly competitive market, especially if the recent hirers
market made them complacent about working conditions. My organization is experiencing record growth,
but neglected the needs of employees so badly that more
people were leaving than they were able to hire, said one
engineer. Although changes have now been made to make
employment more attractive here again, there is still a long

way to go.
Attrition is also forcing employers to up their game when it
comes to recruitment and retention. Our workforce is aging,
so we need to attract and hang on to new employees to take the
place of those who are approaching retirement age, another
engineer noted.
Nonetheless, while the job-market scales seem to be tipping
in the favor of engineers, 70% of survey respondents said they

Average total
compensation
in 2014 in dollars

Number of years
theyve worked at
their present
company
Percentage who
say theyve been
contacted by a
headhunter this year
Percentage who
express satisfaction
in their current
positions
Percentage who
feel adequately
compensated for
the work they do

65

Percentage who say

their company
outsources
engineering work
Percentage who say
their company is less
focused on employee
retention this year

70

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EngineeringFeature

dont believe their company is as focused on employee retention

this year versus last year. Even though the positions are hard to
fill, my company is still opting to replace senior engineers with
young ones at a lower pay, one respondent complained.
This company doesnt care about their employees, which
is evident by the constant turnover of staff, echoed another.
The only reason the five of us who are 50+ years old dont
move on is the dearth of jobs for engineers our age.
SALARY SURGE

After taking a bit of a hit in 2013, average total engineering compensation rebounded slightly in 2014especially for
engineers with management responsibility. Base salaries grew
about 1.3% overall, while bonuses generally remained flat.
Employers were also slightly more generous this year with
stock options and other non-salary compensation, which rose
about 7%. All told, average total income for all engineers in
2014 came to $106,482, up from $105,028 in 2013.
Many survey respondents said that their incremental pay raises come at a fairly steep price, though. Employers are re-structuring compensation to make sure they get the outcomes they
need from their engineering staffs. There is a shift toward compensation based on goal-setting and achievements, observed
one. We are being offered a fixed salary plus performancebased incentives, said another. The salary is about 60%, and
the incentives are limited only by value addition.
Because of these productivity pressures, engineers are working as hard as ever for their money, averaging 55-hour work
weekstypically 40 hours in the office plus additional time at
home, on call, and/or at other locations. Youre expected to
work 50+ hours per week with no extra pay, even if the project
is on schedule, lamented one engineer. Its just something

HOW YOUR COMPENSATION COMPARES TO WHAT

OTHER COMPANIES ARE PAYING
Much more
competitive

4%
Somewhat less
competitive

31%
12%

Somewhat more
competitive

Equally
competitive

41%
12%
Much less
competitive

Software engineering manager

Vice president /VP of engineering
Technical director/director of
engineering/R&D/engineering manager
Chief engineer/senior engineer/
lead engineer/principal engineer
Manufacturing/production manager
President/owner/CEO/other executive
management
Group leader/project team leader/
project manager
Systems engineer/applications engineer
Software engineer
Department head/section head
Applications/systems engineering
manager
Other (please specify)
Design engineer/project engineer/
R&D engineer
Test engineer
QC/evaluation/test manager
Manufacturing/production engineer

$157,611
$124,306

Total
Compensation
$166,461
$140,107

$123,822

$137,400

$108,961

$117,674

$109,350

$117,475

$102,735

$113,538

$103,142

$111,284

$102,637
$103,570
$98,813

$111,001
$110,483
$109,542

$99,230

$109,150

$88,718

$95,945

$87,030

$94,288

$85,316
$80,600

$92,417
$89,356

$80,075

$88,390

Consulting engineer/scientist

$79,645

$85,992

Member of technical staff

$75,576

$81,983

Average Salaries
By Engineering Title

you have to do if you want to advance to senior management.

Despite slight increases in salary overall, only 40% of engineers believe their compensation is competitive with what
other employers are paying for similar work, while 43% feel its
less competitive.
Respondents also dont think their salary gains are especially significant. Salaries are not keeping up with inflation,
complained one engineer. Theres not a lot of opportunity
to move on to another position as companies prefer younger
people with little experience. Companies know this and tend
to use this fact against wage increases, advancement, and any
other type of benefits.
Engineering salaries obviously vary considerably based on
the type of work. Design & development engineers, for example, earned a base salary of $94,143 and total compensation
of $102,248 this year. The job titles commanding the highest
salaries were software engineering managers ($166,461), VPs
of engineering ($140,107), technical directors ($137,400), and
chief/principal engineers ($117,674).
Engineering managers did especially well in 2014, averaging $121,921 in base salary and $133,132 in total compensationan increase of about 11%after seeing their pay dip
5% in 2013. Operating management also saw a bump in their
paychecks (by about 10%) for an average of $119,740 in base
salary and $133,230 after bonuses and other pay perks.

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GUARDED OPTIMISM

Although wages have languished in recent years, engineers

remain generally optimistic about their profession. Engineers
are always in demand, said one survey respondent. I know
many well-paid engineers that have left my company for even
better pay.
Financially, engineering is a ticket to a comfortable
middle-class lifestyle, which is more than a new grad would be
likely to get in the arts, education, or most other major areas of
study, noted another.
A third respondent offered this perspective: There are many
engineering niches, each of which requires intense specialization. The general term Electrical Engineer can refer to a person working on anything from chip lithography to high-power
motor controls. With the number of these niches increasing
every year, our field shows no signs of slowing down.
But not everyone paints such a rosy outlook about the
future. One respondents perspective was typical: Due to
the poor economy, fewer engineers are advancing. The large
number of foreign-born engineering students graduating and
wishing to remain in the U.S. is keeping salaries from rising.
The rise of Chinas economy in the world marketplace and the
increase in the number of their own engineers is also putting a
downward pressure on jobs and salaries.
Perspectives also tend to vary by region because, simply put,
compensation varies geographically. As weve seen in previous
surveys, engineers on the West Coast top all wage earners with
total incomes this year averaging $126,269 (up 3.4%). Theyre
followed by New England at $115,893 (up 2.4%) and the West
South Central regioncomprising Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisianaat $115,473 (up 1.1%).
The type of firm also plays a substantial role in determining
engineers compensation. Chip houses led the way in engineering pay again this year at $145,831followed by software
houses ($123,414), computer OEMs ($122,297), government/
military contractors ($116,377), and medical electronics firms
($109,483).
An engineers level of education is another big factor. EngiTOP 10 PERKS

neers with bachelors degrees earned less than the average

($100,948), while those whod tacked on graduate studies
had incomes 8% higher at $109,063. Engineers with masters
degrees earned $115,424 in 2014, and those with doctorates averaged $122,831. Those differentials may not seem
that great on an annual basis, given the high cost of a postbachelors education. But over the course of a career, the
increased income can add up substantially.

Average Salaries By Type

Of Design Work You Do

Base
salary

Total compensation

ICs and semiconductors

$125,939

$140,410

Computer product design (supercomputers, mainframes, workstations, servers, PCs, notebooks/

laptops, peripherals, boards, etc.)

$116,452

$126,940

Military products

$111,395

$117,744

Software design/development/
programming

$106,945

$115,211

Medical products

$105,397

$114,684

Mobile equipment

$102,769

$112,769

Avionics, marine, or space

$104,701

$111,380

Automotive products

$100,621

$109,199

Communications systems and

equipment (local-area/wide-area
networking products, wireless,
cellular, RF and microwave,
Bluetooth, etc.)

$97,398

$106,976

Research & development

$95,429

$104,317

Other (please specify)

$94,178

$103,831

Safety/security

$95,313

$103,035

Test and measurement equipment

$94,066

$101,325

Components and subassemblies

$92,409

$101,287

Power design

$91,215

$100,614

Materials handling equipment/

services

$91,563

$99,979

Packaging

$92,833

$98,033

$86,595

$95,198

Health benefits

54%

Industrial controls systems and

equipment (including robotics)

401(k) match

51%

Consumer products

$85,812

$94,233

Time off

38%

Machine tool/automation

$77,941

$84,386

Further education/training

18%

Appliance

$65,833

$71,633

Pension plan

17%

Professional organization dues

15%

Average Salaries
By Job Function

Base
salary

Total compensation

Company phone

14%

Executive/operating management

$119,740

$133,230

Stock options

13%

Engineering management

$121,921

$133,132

Tuition reimbursement

12%

Design & development engineering

$94,143

$102,248

Stock purchase plan

12%

Other engineering

$88,206

$95,509

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EngineeringFeature

Average Salaries By Industry

Base salary

Total compensation

ICs and semiconductors

$130,634

$145,831

Software

$111,500

$123,414

Computer systems/boards/
peripherals/software

$111,889

$122,297

Government/Military

$110,598

$116,377

Medical electronics

$100,611

$109,484

Avionics/marine/space

$101,909

$108,664

Communications systems/
equipment

$97,603

$106,794

Automotive electronics

$97,940

$106,540

Test and measurement equipment

$98,189

$105,274

Other (please specify)

$92,586

$102,117

Research & development

$91,632

$101,063

Components and subassemblies

$90,304

$99,954

Industrial controls systems/equipment

$90,400

$99,289

Consumer electronics

$87,401

$96,306

Consultant

$85,372

$92,465

Contract design or manufacturing

$83,045

$88,506

MORE A CALLING THAN A JOB?

Few jobs are as fun, challenging, and satisfying as engineering. And few offer such a wide range of opportunities. Thats
why, like last year, about 90% of our survey respondents said
they would recommend engineering as a career path to a
young person looking to choose a profession.
Engineering can be immensely rewarding, especially if
you enjoy discovering how things work and how to make
them better, wrote one engineer. Whether it is process
development, product development, or software development, the ability to turn your vision into a real-world system
is awe-inspiring.
Another one put it this way: If you have an inquisitive mind
and good work ethic, engineering is a field that continues to
advance by leaps and bounds. This relentless change challenges you to never stop learning. Plus, by getting involved in
engineering societies such as IEEE, you can directly influence
the standards and guidelines that future engineers will use to
accomplish their designs. This can be deeply rewarding.
One respondent finds it particularly enjoyable to participate
in the development of new, young engineering talent. I recently
hired a BSME right out of school at $60k, he explained. This
is the second one in the last three years. Our facility is small
enough that I can work with and develop these new hires so they
can move on to other opportunities within our parent company.
But not everyone shares the same enthusiasm. I dont
believe there are as many opportunities in engineering for
someone starting out as there were 20 years ago, opined one
respondent. Also, management doesnt seem to appreciate

the contribution that engineers make to a companys bottom

line. We are seen merely as a commodity that can be discarded
when no longer needed for a project.
That respondent was far from alone. In todays business
environment, engineers are not respectedand company
management does not have a good understanding of the
development process, wrote one such respondent. Projects
are often under-resourced, which sets up engineering teams
for failure and frustration.
Despite the presence of these voices, nearly 9 in 10 respondents say they enjoy their jobsand an equally high number
find their jobs at least somewhat challenging. Engineering
continues to provide intellectual challenge, a good income,
and a path to progress into management for those with business acumen and interest, asserted one of many respondents
holding this point of view.
And, although respondents generally acknowledge the
downward pressures on compensation, nearly two-thirds
nonetheless believe that they are at least adequately compensated for their work. Although sometimes it feels like its lost
some luster, engineering is still a high-paying field in which a
person has a lot of options, said one such respondent.
Among the remaining third who believe theyre underpaid,
the consensus is that they would need about a 21% increase
in compensation to be brought up to fair market value. The
amount of schooling, keeping up with the latest developments,
and stress outweigh the pay and satisfaction, wrote one particularly disgruntled respondent.
Whether due to job satisfaction or skepticism about conditions
being better elsewhere, fewer than 10% of survey respondents say
theyre actively seeking a new position. More than one in four, on
the other hand, said they would definitely follow up if they heard
about an interesting opportunity elsewhere, and another third
said theyd listen if personally approached with an offer.
One engineer explained his approach to career management this way: As an engineer, you are in charge of your
career. You need to sacrifice and learn to work closely with different people. And you must continually learn about new elements of the industry and how they can impact your career.
The challenges and sacrifices associated with a career in
engineering prompted 37% of survey respondents to admit to
considering leaving the profession altogether. Top reasons for
making a switch included the desire to try something different
HOW YOUR COMPENSATION COMPARES
TO WHAT OTHER COMPANIES ARE PAYING
Much more competitive

4%

Somewhat more competitive

12%

Equally competitive

41%

Somewhat less competitive

31%

Much less competitive

12%

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a two-day training seminar, they act like you just killed their
dog, joked one respondent.

HOW INTELLECTUALLY CHALLENGED

YOU ARE AT WORK

Not challenged
enough

Somewhat
challenged

THE OUTSOURCING ISSUE

10%

34%

56%

Sufficiently
challenged

(33%); to pursue other interests or opportunities (31%); to

do something they perceived as more fulfilling or satisfying
(27%); to make more money (24%); to do something less
stressful (23%); or to start a business of their own (21%). Still,
these amounted to sentiments rather than actions.
RUNNING IN PLACE

Staying current with new and emerging technologies remains

a central challenge for engineers. Many find it nearly impossible
to research and sift through the vast array of available information while focusing on the job at hand. Since I work on a wide
variety of products, I need to support a wide variety of technologies, said one engineer. Determining which ones to pursue
ahead of time can be difficult, if not impossible.
To stay current, engineers distill information from a variety of sources. In addition to reading technology journals like
Electronic Design, engineers rely on white papers (65%), webcasts (62%), seminars (58%), textbooks (46%), trade shows
and conferences (44%), and vendor-sponsored education
(43%) to help them stay up-to-date.
With the flood of information out there, its a challenge
every day to decide what to trash and what to skim through,
said one respondent. If I tried to take in all the information
that comes my way, I wouldnt be able to accomplish anything.
Unfortunately, when it comes to keeping their skills and
knowledge current, engineers increasingly find themselves
on their own. Only about half say their company reimburses them for conferences and seminars (55%), while
only 44% say they get money back from their employers for
college tuition. Barely a third are reimbursed for engineering textbooks.
Managers talk a lot about how they want you to keep currentbut when you ask them to give you time off and pay for

As companies look more aggressively for ways to control

costs and avoid fixed overhead, outsourcing remains as prevalent as ever throughout the engineering world. According
to this years survey, a majority (53%) of engineers say their
company outsources engineering worka number that continues to inch up each year. The most-outsourced types of
work include software development (49%), manufacturing
and assembly (47%), and design (41%).
More than half of survey respondents (57%) say the work is
being outsourced to contractors within the U.S. Primary offshore locations for outsourcing include China and the Pacific
Rim (37%), India (29%), and Europe (19%).
If the talent cant be found locally, then companies must look
elsewhere, said one survey respondent sympathetic to the practice. I am with a small company, so outsourcing is sometimes
necessary to get the job done. Plus engineers cost a lot to a company, so there has to be a business justification for their salary.
Another respondent agreed: There are times when the
expertise needed to realize some key feature of a new product
is not in house. In those cases, its necessary to outsource that
part of the design. Then our engineers can complete the rest of
Average Salaries By Years
Of Engineering Experience

Base salary

Total compensation

30-34 years

$108,137

$117,214

25-29 years

$106,136

$116,004

35-39 years

$105,664

$114,974

20-24 years

$101,106

$110,937

40 years or more

$93,217

$101,520

15-19 years

$92,483

$100,040

10-14 years

$90,015

$98,758

5-9 years

$73,156

$80,604

Less than 1 year

$69,318

$76,790

1-4 years

$69,139

$76,176

Base salary

Total compensation

$5 billion - $9.9 billion

$120,859

$130,614

$1 billion - $4.9 billion

$115,363

$126,851

$10 billion or more

$115,019

$125,062

$5 - $9 million

$109,997

$119,671

$500 - $999.9 million

$109,432

$118,758

$100 - $499.9 million

$107,722

$117,471

$50 - $99.9 million

$100,033

$106,500

$25 - $49.9 million

$95,898

$104,515

$10 million - $24.9 million

$90,219

$97,445

Less than $5 million

$78,292

$85,980

Average Salaries
By Size Of Company

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ENGINEERING
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EngineeringFeature

the work successfully.

About half (48%) of survey respondents, however, claimed
that the main motivation for outsourcing is cost savings
rather than a lack of locally available talent. Large companies
outsource the most, because theyre run by accountants and
lawyers, one engineer griped. If they can save five cents by
outsourcing, they will.
Other reasons for outsourcing were a lack of in-house capabilities (40%); the need to put existing engineering resources
to better use (34%); and the need to save time (32%).
At our company, weve worked pretty hard to keep the
design work in-house, but sometimes we have to use outsourcing to accelerate implementation, one respondent explained.
We are not saving that much money.
Outsourcing is better when we need an unusual design
solution and it would take too much time to do the R&D ourselves, said a like-minded colleague.
About one in four of survey respondents expressed some
level of concern with the prospect of losing their job to outsourcing. However, 35% said they werent terribly concerned
with the threat of losing their job to outsourcing, and an additional 42% expressed no concerns at all.
Outsourcing is a mixed blessing that allows engineers to
harness the entrepreneurial spirit at the cost of stable jobs in
traditional settings, one respondent observed. But for my
company, it has really helped fill in the gaps.
Several respondents offered a variety of caveats about viewing outsourcing as some kind of operational panacea. Ive
heard outsourcing nightmares where the results were so bad
that the money saved was irrelevant, said one respondent.
Outsourcing only works if someone very competent manages it, said another, adding that such management potentially
offered lucrative work for engineers with the right skills. OthTOP RETIREMENT PLANS OFFERED BY OEMs
401(k) match or similar

72%

Pension programs

27%

Profit sharing

17%

ESOP

13%

Stock options

11%

Company ownership

10%

WHERE WORK IS BEING OUTSOURCED

Other locations in the U.S.

57%

China/Pacific Rim

37%

India

29%

Europe

19%

Mexico/South America

13%

Canada

7%

Other

9%

Average Salaries By Age

Base salary

Total compensation

60 or older

$92,398

$100,566

50-54

$110,904

$121,695

55-59

$104,744

$113,302

45-49

$100,380

$109,273

40-44

$94,386

$103,595

35-39

$85,542

$93,901

30-34

$80,689

$88,517

25-29

$68,400

$75,533

Base salary

Total compensation

Pacific

$115,003

$126,269

New England

$105,900

$115,893

West South Central

$105,792

$115,473

Mid-Atlantic

$99,881

$108,409

South Atlantic

$98,255

$107,124

East South Central

$98,767

$106,058

East North Central

$91,831

$99,542

Mountain

$90,938

$99,180

West North Central

$90,065

$97,584

Average Salaries By
Geographic Region

ers cited potential long-term issues with excessive reliance on

outsourcing, such as a loss of vital in-house capabilities and
the potential loss of competitive differentiated intellectual
property.
In another vein, several respondents noted that the propensity of many companies to outsource offshore is likely to
diminish with an evolving global economy. At this point, we
are starting to see many functions that were once sent offshore returning to the U.S. as economies in the countries that
were once favored destinations continue to develop, noted
one respondent. The result is that the cost differentials have
become less attractive, and it may even be cheaper now to perform them here at home.
WHERE ARE THE GOOD U.S.-PRODUCED ENGINEERS?

One reason U.S. companies may have to outsourceand

turn to H-1B visa workersis a lack of qualified engineers
produced from the countrys educational system. According
to this years survey, most (52%) engineers say their organization is struggling to find qualified candidates for open
engineering positions. Truly skilled, diverse, and practical
engineers, as we need for our work, are hard to findand it
seems to be getting harder, said one.
As weve seen in past surveys, the jobs that continue to be
toughest to fill in 2014 are those that require specialties in
analog technology (36%), software (35%), systems engineering (33%), embedded technology (32%), RF design (29%), and
power design (26%).
Is there a problem with domestically educated engineers?

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Two-thirds of survey respondents say theyve recently hired

American engineering graduates. But respondents split equally over whether todays engineering students are entering the
workforce with sufficient knowledge and skill.
Some suggest that a four-year education isnt enough for the
intense challenges posed by todays complex technologies. They
also feel that large-scale changes must be made in the way students are prepared for engineering careers, especially when other
countries have adopted seemingly more effective training models.
Electronic engineering is too specialized for a general fouryear degree, declared one veteran EE. I think a much better
model would be a two-year general electronics foundation, followed by specialized two-to-three-year education in some particular field such as embedded, digital, or analog technology.
Others agreed, but noted that astronomically high college and university tuitions make such an education financially unfeasible for the typical American engineering student. It may be true that the skills the industry needs cant be
crammed into a four-year engineering degree, remarked one
engineer. But given the costs, students cant afford anything
more than that.
Respondents cited many other issues that may be undermining an American universitys ability to produce the types of
entry-level engineers needed to deliver innovative solutions to
market on-time and on-budget. Some suggested that a purely
technical education simply doesnt prepare young people to
thrive in the modern workplace, since people skills and an
understanding of how tech-centric business function are also
necessary for success in the real world.
Others pointed the finger at a university system that places
excessive pressure on faculty to bring in research funding and
publish noteworthy resultsat the expense of a genuine commitment to teach and nurture the next generation of American engineers.

SIGNING BONUSES/INCENTIVES FOR

NEW ENGINEERING HIRES

Weve always
offered them
We stopped
offering them,
but have
started to again

4%
We used to 14%
offer them,
but dont
anymore

18%
My company
has never
offered them

63%

Average Salaries
By Level Of Education

Base salary

Total compensation

Doctoral degree

$111,894

$122,831

Masters degree

$106,024

$115,424

Bachelors plus graduate studies

$100,313

$109,063

Bachelors degree

$93,049

$100,948

High school or less

$87,545

$96,265

Attended college

$81,157

$89,458

Associates degree

$75,269

$83,001

A number of respondents expressed skepticism about academia altogether. Nearly 60% of those surveyed saw too much
emphasis being spent on theoretical knowledge in schools.
Academic institutions tend to focus on technical theory, said
one of these skeptics. But, in practice, engineers need a set
of specific skills and experiences that will empower them to
discover solutions to complex real-world problems.
A lot of the coursework is firmly theoretical, and any practical information is mentioned often in passing, said another.
There also isnt enough hands-on training or exposure to
different software programs. Oddly enough, spelling seems to
be an issue, too.
Another critic noted that, because of the time it takes to
develop course curricula, university courses typically lag far
behind the state of the industryand therefore tend to be
terribly out-of-date. As the engineering manager of a large
corporation who has attended numerous job fairs looking for
interns and junior engineers, I can tell you the pickings are
pretty slim, he wrote. Whatever theyre teaching these students, its not what we need.
Three out of four engineers surveyed believe todays engineering students dont get enough hands-on experience in
school labs. New graduates need more hands-on work,
remarked one engineer. I wish education would focus on
the basics more, more general problem-solving and less hard
core technical material. When you enter the workforce, thats
when you really learn what you will need to know. I have seen
many new engineers with horrible problem-solving skills, and
who are terrible in the lab. I have never had to solve a rootlocus problem in my professional career, but I have had to sit at
a soldering bench on many occasions!
When asked how much training engineering graduates need
to do their jobs independently once theyve been hired, 44%
said it requires nine to 12 months or more. Universities have
not been graduating students with skills as good as they used
to, protested one engineer. I believe that good grades are easier
to come by and students arent being required to learn as much
as they used to. Qualified candidates are more difficult to find.
Many respondents expressed the belief that engineering
graduates should spend time as interns to gain the hands-on
experience necessary to be of value on a project team. In fact,

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72% believe internships should be a mandatory component of

HOW ENGINEERS FEEL OUTSOURCING
every engineers education. During an internship, a student
IMPACTS THE PROFESSION
gains real-world skills that cannot be taught in the university
Lower employee morale
45%
setting, said one engineer. Internships and co-ops played a
Fewer engineering jobs available
44%
huge role in me being hired at my current company. If I didnt
New hires at reduced salaries
37%
have that experience, I would have never been considered.
Fewer opportunities for advancement
36%
Students need real world experience, agreed another engiSkills
valued
less
32%
neer. Too many professors have been in academia for so long
Salary
reductions
for
employees
26%
that theyre out of touch. Also, engineers are expected to build
things, but school laboratories are artificial. A lot of engineers
Opportunities to work on more innovative projects
22%
come out of school without ever building, testing, or troubleAn important aspect of global business
16%
shooting real applications.
Skills valued more
13%
Some pointed out thatin addition to providing valuable
hands-on experienceinternships can also help students
HOW INTELLECTUALLY CHALLENGED YOU ARE AT WORK
decide if engineering is the right track for them. Classroom
Sufficiently challenged
56%
work and for pay work are very different, one respondent
Somewhat
challenged
34%
noted. Ive encountered many folks who no longer want to be
engineers and would have changed fields before entering the
Not challenged enough
10%
industry if theyd had intern experience first. Ive also encountered interns who reported at the end of the internship that and some of the finest engineering programs, said one reprethey were glad to see real engineering work life and decided to sentative of this contingent. Those who are able to afford to
look for something else before launching into it for a living.
complete an education are well-prepared for the engineering
But not everyone is in favor of making internships manda- employment we and other companies offer.
tory. Although very important, if they were mandatory, then the
Many expressed similar sentiments. We generally find talented
industry would abuse it by requiring students
new grads for most engineering disciplines we
to work for no, or very little, compensation,
hire, said one. We expect them to be wellFOR MORE TABLES FROM THE SURVEY
said one engineer. Internships should be
grounded in the basics and assume we will
GO TO ElectronicDesign.com
paid positions, though obviously not at full
train them in the specifics of our systems.
engineering salaries.
The U.S. graduates plenty of talSome respondents with a negative opin- Top retirement plans offered by OEMs
ented engineers, asserted still another.
ion about the quality of U.S. engineering Top 10 perks
There is no STEM [science, technolgraduates suggested that the problems The 10 Most Pressing Problems At Work
ogy, engineering, and math] shortage,
faced by younger engineering candidates The Factors That Influence Job Satisfaction
only a shortage of good entry-level jobs
transcend shortcomings in academic for- Satisfaction with your current position
where these new graduates can get their
mal curricula or a failure to engage in ade- How You Continue To Stay Smart
careers off the ground. According to
quate pre-employment internships. One, Engineering employment outlook
this respondent, outsourcing has led
for example, observed that while the next Ways engineers are earning their bonuses in
companies to retain only senior-level
2014
generation of engineers excels at writing
specialist engineers or project managsoftware, they havent grown up with the Where the jobs are
ers. Jobs that allow entry-level engineers
hands-on experiences older engineers had Engineering specialties in highest demand
to learn in their early years are disapwith hardware. Hobbies for hardware- Status regarding new employment
pearing.
oriented EEs are almost non-existent, Top 10 Professional Issues That Keep You Up
At the same time, he added, large
At Night
said this nostalgic respondent. Heathkit,
companies like Apple, Intel, Microsoft,
How engineers feel outsourcing impacts the
for example, has been gone for years.
and others are pushing for more H-1B
profession
The other half of the surveys respon- Type of work being outsourced
visas to bring in low-paid engineers
dents had starkly constrasting viewpoints. Where work is being outsourced
from overseas. The decision to pursue
They expressed that todays engineering Primary reasons your company outsources
a strategy of procuring low-cost labor
degree programs are as good and chal- Level of concern over losing your job to
rather than invest in young American
lenging as ever, and those who make it
students creates the very shortfall that
outsourcing
through are skilled, well-prepared, and Types of continuing education costs companies these employers bemoan. Our engiare willing to reimburse to engineers
highly motivated. I think U.S. colleges
neers graduate with excellent skills and
and universities have excellent faculty
are just as entrepreneurial as foreignSponsored by
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ENGINEERING
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born engineers, he asserted in his survey response. The

only difference is that they expect fair compensation.
A number of survey respondents expressed that the mission of engineering schools is to teach students how to
think like an engineer and how to work collaboratively
with others, rather than produce individuals with the exact
skills needed by a particular employer. These respondents
took the position that those skills can only be gained on
the job.
One respondent went another route: Education does not
create engineers. Education creates individuals who know
how to study and solve problems. Engineers are grown out
of those people who learn how to solve real-world problems
and create designs for real-world equipment that does what is
needed to solve a problem.
About half the respondents to this years survey say their
company has a relationship with a local college or university
for internships that eventually leads to hires; 80% believe this
approach enables them to hire engineers with the skills theyre
seeking. However, only four out of 10 say their firm fosters
STEM education by sponsoring events or offering mentoring.

WHOS INVOLVED IN THE DECISION TO OUTSOURCE

President/chairman/CEO

48%

Senior engineering management

42%

Engineering management

29%

Other corporate management

23%

CFO/other financial management

14%

Board of directors

13%

Engineering

13%

Purchasing

7%

Government

4%

Clients/customers

4%

Others

6%

LEVEL OF CONCERN OVER LOSING YOUR JOB

TO OUTSOURCING
Very concerned

6%

Somewhat concerned

17%

Not very concerned

34%

Not at all concerned

43%

IS ENGINEER PRODUCTION ABROAD ANY BETTER?

Do apparent shortcomings with the U.S. education system

mean that other countries are superior in producing good
engineers? Not according to this years survey respondents.
While 70% work for companies that have hired engineers who
were born and raised outside the U.S., only 21% believe that
engineering programs worldwide better prepare engineers for
real-world job duties and responsibilities.
American engineers are the most creative, focused, and
hard-working in the worldand I have worked with engineers from every continent, declared one respondent. New
engineers from abroad tend to want step-by-step instructions
on how to create physical designs of integrated circuits, said
another. Some do not learn to think for themselves or think
outside the box when given new design challenges.
Many expressed the view that while many foreign engineers
possess adequate theoretical skills, they graduate with even
fewer practical engineering skills than American students.
Foreign-trained engineers are well-grounded in math and
physics principles, but do not generally get very much practical
experience or training, observed one engineer. Another said:
From what Ive seen, foreign engineering education involves
SATISFACTION WITH YOUR CURRENT POSITION
Extremely satisfied

18%

Very satisfied

34%

Satisfied

36%

Not very satisfied

11%

Not at all satisfied

1%

mostly memorizing test answers, rather than any practical

design experience.
Some survey participants suggested that cultural issues
are what really make things tougher for foreign-trained
engineers. American graduates fit in easier with the company culture, said one. There is no language barrier. Also,
foreign graduates need more structure when they get started. But many are already set in their ways by the time they
arrive, so even years later they cannot fit in with company
culture.
Another engineer put it this way: Even if engineering
programs abroad offer better skills and knowledge preparation, they provide very little notion about American society,
markets, and the business of engineering in the U.S. Only the
truly exceptional engineerswho would do well no matter
where they were born or educatedare any better than those
raised in the U.S. The culture here supports kids to learn the
types of skills that make a good engineer. That culture does
not exist in China or India, although it does seem to exist in
Eastern Europe.
Others have gone through different experiences. I am a
U.S. citizen who went to school abroad. The program was
more practically based and less theoretical. There was a large
hands-on component. All the classes were taught in the engineering department and were geared toward engineering. We
did not have Liberal Arts requirements. It was very focused
and intense. We were in class for 32 hours per week. Our
exams covered the entire year, not just one semester.
Another engineer said: Engineering students abroad have

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PRIMARY REASONS YOUR COMPANY OUTSOURCES

To save money

48%

Lack of in-house talent/specialty skills

40%

To make best use of engineering resources

34%

To save time

32%

Ease workload

22%

Not sure

9%

Other

7%

TYPE OF WORK BEING OUTSOURCED

Software engineering/development

49%

Manufacturing/assembly

47%

Design

41%

PCB layout

32%

Software verification/test

23%

CAD/CAE

21%

Design verification

14%

Final test

14%

Drafting

12%

Other

11%

to do more with less, do not have the resources, and thus really
have to do engineering to overcome shortcomings on resources.
Do you think Apple could have made a production iPhone
without the help of Chinese engineers who showed them how to
cut corners in order to meet production and cost goals?
ECONOMIC PESSIMISM

The survey also asked engineers what they thought about

the general outlook for the U.S. economy. Responses were not
too enthusiastic. Less than half (43%) were at least somewhat
positive about where things were headed. By contrast, 31%
held a negative view and 26% were neutral.
Many who expressed a positive outlook believed the recession was behind us. And, even though the recovery has been
long and slow, they believe that things are likely to continue to
grow slowly, but steadily.
There is lots of interest in products that we are producing;
capital expenditures are up, credit is available, and people are
spending, hiring, and investing, commented one engineer.
I think were making our way back from the downturn,
said an OEM business owner. Its actually been good for one of
the three companies I own, since it has meant that in the early
stages of product development over the last three years, weve
been able to be much more cost-efficientbecause vendors are
eager for work and not operating at full capacity. In a bustling
economy, its more difficult to attract the attention of vendors or
have them work with you to keep costs contained.
I believe that increasing interest in technology is spreading

TYPES OF CONTINUING EDUCATION COSTS COMPANIES

ARE WILLING TO REIMBURSE TO ENGINEERS
Trade shows/conferences

55%

Seminars

55%

College tuition

44%

Engineering textbooks

35%

Engineering association dues

28%

Publication subscriptions

26%

Certifications

26%

Online training

25%

to the wider industrial community and that interest by the

general population in the possibilities of IoT, 3D printing, and
mobile devices is bringing more funding and innovation to
the technology sector, another engineer commented.
Many of those who were less optimistic about the future
cited corporate greed. Companies are making record profits,
but not sharing with their employees, observed one such
respondent. Sooner or later, that will implode.
A big majority blamed the current political environment,
though. For the economy to move forward and become
stable, the proper incentives (such as a more sensible tax
code) must be in place. The potential for growth and lasting
recovery is there, but our lawmakers have not been actively
working to drive the correct behavior and reward risk. At
the moment, everyone is too cautious and risk-averse, due
to the tenuous state of the economy.
New technology is possible: the smart grid, the Internet
of Things, electric cars, new medical devices, one engineer
wrote. If the government didnt declare a war on science, we
would be doing more R&D to make new technology available
to the world. Just fix the politics and the technology will flow.
MAKING THE MOST OF CHALLENGING TIMES

Life is not as easy for engineers in 2014 as it was in the gogo days of the tech boom. A dicey global economy, a risk- and
cost-averse corporate culture, and the intensifying complexity
of todays smart technologies all make life a little more difficult
for engineers than theyd like.
But engineers have it better than most. Compensation continues to climb, and opportunities abound. The worlds overall
appetite for technology is strongeven if its at a price and
speed that tax the capacity of engineering teams.
Perhaps most important, there is still something about
being an engineer at this particular juncture of history that
makes it unlike any other profession. As one survey respondent put it: The teachers who told me Math and science
are going to change your life were right. With footprints on
the moon and tire tracks on Mars, I know that the sky is no
longer the limit.

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Engineering Feature
JAY MCSHERRY | Contributing Editor
[email protected]

THE

GENDER
DIVIDE
Women remain underrepresented
in engineeringand the situation
isnt improving

ike past surveys, relatively few female voices were

heard in this years Salary & Opinion Survey. Only
about 3% of our 3000 responses came from women. So, to get a better understanding of some of
the issues facing women in the field, Electronic Design
teamed up with IEEE Women In Engineeringthe
professional associations wing dedicated to promoting
women engineers and scientistson research that paralleled our annual salary survey.
For this project, we solicited responses from nearly
400 women involved in design engineering, engineering
management, and executive management at OEMs. These
women shared their insights on general industry subjects
as well as issues specific to women in engineering.
Engineering, of course, remains a male-dominated
profession. The Congressional Joint Economic Committee recently reported that only about 14% of the engineers currently working in the U.S. are female. While
thats a significant improvement from the early 1980s
when women made up a mere 6% of the engineering
workforceit still indicates that a serious gender divide
exists in the field.
Whats more, the professions gender disparity may
be getting worse, not better. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of women holding STEM
jobs is on the declinemainly because their share of
computer occupations dropped to 27% after reaching
a high of 34% in 1990. We have seen an increase in
women employed in STEM occupations, but they are
still underrepresented in engineering and computer

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occupations that make up more than ARE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING

neering students on graduation day than
80% of STEM employment, said Liana AFFORDED THE SAME
when they first entered college. While
Christin Landivar, a sociologist in the OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER
some suggested that the rigors of an engiCensus Bureaus Industry and Occupa- ADVANCEMENT IN MANAGEMENT neering education were partly to blame
tion Statistics Branch.
for the drop-off, others cited the paucity
POSITIONS AS MEN?
Women make up 51% of the U.S. popof mentors for women among the faculty
ulation and 47% of the workforce, so its
and staff as a major contributing factor.
clear that some issue or issues are preThe lack of mentorshipespecially
venting their proportionate representafrom women faculty memberswas
tion in one of the working worlds more
clearly one reason for the dropouts,
Yes
lucrative professions.
commented one survey participant.
Because the number of women parThe support of women faculty toward
ticipating in our main Salary Survey
women students is non-existent. There
was so small, it probably does not offer
are not many women faculty members
a statistically significant insight into the
at universities to begin with, and the
compensation disparities between men
majority of them are not supportive to
and women. That said, for the sample on
students at all. They do not put their
hand, income between the sexes differed
weight in at the admission commitby about 10% ($106,869 in total compentee when it comes to admitting more
sation for men vs. $97,357 for women).
women students to the engineering
Are most
women
in engineering
afforded
However, this disparity isnt based on a direct comparison programs. As a matter of fact,
male
and women
faculty
the same opportunities for career
of women and men holding the same positions or in the same members do not care about advancement
gender bias and
gender equality
in MANAGEMENT
situations. For example, the sample of women who partici- issues at all.
positions as men?
pated in the Electronic Design survey were, on average, much
Harassment of female students was rampant, reflected
younger (45 years of age vs. another woman engineer. It is much improved now. Also, in
53 for the men) and had nine my college years, it was still an accepted practice for women
fewer years of engineering experience than the men we heard to take care of the home and children in addition to any studfrom (18 years for women vs. 27 years for men).
ies or outside work. The pressures of all of the responsibilities
Yes
36%
On the other hand, when we looked at the 400 participants overwhelmed some.
in the separate survey of women conducted with IEEE, we
Despite the relatively high average
salaries in engineerNo
found that they had much higher levels of education than the ing, fewer than a third (29%)64%
of the women surveyed
average participant in our main survey. For example, 42% hold believe women engineers fare better than those in other
a masters degree (compared to just 30%
professions when it comes to achievin our main survey)while 23% have a ARE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING
ing equal pay for equal work. About
doctorate (compared to 9% in our main AFFORDED THE SAME
47% say the opportunities are roughly
survey).
the same, while one in four say the
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER
So rather than focus on issues related ADVANCEMENT IN ENGINEERING chances of receiving compensation
to compensation, we decided to use data POSITIONS AS MEN?
on par with men is worse in the engifrom both surveys to compare how men
neering field than other professions.
and women engineers differ in their views
I think that at certain levels, an engiabout the profession generally and their
neer is an engineer, and the salary will
jobs specifically. We also asked women
be the same between men and women,
to open up about their experiences worksaid one survey respondent. Howing in a male-dominated occupation, as
ever, I think that the opportunities for
No
well as offer advice to young women who
advancement for women are lower,
Yes
might consider entering the field.
which then causes lower salaries.
This was a common complaint among
DOES IT START IN SCHOOL?
women: I get the sense that women in
The minority status of women in engiengineering are paid the same as men
neering becomes evident to them while
in the same role, but that women tend
still in school. On average, women estito end up in roles that are paid less on
mate there were 13.5% fewer woman engiaverage, like QA or tech support.

No

45%

55%

36%

No

64%

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INTERVIEW With Nita Patel

IEEE Women In Engineering Committee Chair
[email protected]

Why have so few women taken up engineering as

a career?
I think theres a component of awareness and stereotypes involved. Awareness in that many people dont
know what an engineer does or what it means to be an
engineer. There are stereotypes and misconceptions
about engineering. Also, there are stereotypes about
the capabilities required. I think theres a stereotype
and bias that implies that girls are not capable of pursuing a STEM field. Yes,
STEM can be hard, but so are many other fields of study and women are successful in them (e.g., doctors and lawyers).
In your view, what are some of the aspects of engineering that make it a particularly good career path for women?
I think its a great career choice because there is an incredible amount of flexibility and many opportunities. An engineering/technical background provides
many opportunities in terms of type of industry (defense, medical, commercial,
space...), type of career (full-time, part-time, independent, team-based...), and
level of contribution (individual, team lead, executive...). The analytical and
logical skills that you learn through a STEM degree can be applied to many different industries. Also, most engineering careers are project-based, so there is
great flexibility in the hours you can set.
What are the biggest challenges women in engineering face?
I think people are aware of and control overt biases. There are still some
subtle biases floating around. The perception that engineering is a mans field is
still prevalent, so this can be discouraging and prolongs the bias.
Given some of these challenges, would you recommend engineering as a
career path for women?
Absolutely, I do not think the challenges are overwhelming. I think the career
is very rewarding. Women have a lot to contribute in this field.
What career advice do you have for women currently working in
engineering?
Challenge yourself and ask for larger leadership roles. I think its important to get more women into higher-visibility management roles. I also think
women should keep learning. Technology is ever-changing, so we must work
to remain technically current and think about expanding our horizons by continually developing professional skills.
What advice doyou have for women students who are considering the
profession?
Go for it. You will find the technology exciting and the skills you learn will
help you throughout your life. n

Women in general ask for less, so

men are used to giving them less,
opined another. When in that early
discussion with recruiters, women usually do not know what their male peers
receive as offers. I used to be shocked to
discover that my male coworkers who
werent as smart or productive as I was
made more. Now Im used to it, and I
see how they receive more mentoring
and guidance from their managers, who
are almost all men.
Some women cited work/home balance issues as the reason for the disparity. Many of the women that I have
worked with have had children and,
as a result, spend less time at work and
require more time off to take care of
their children, said one respondent.
I believe this affects their salary. At
one company I worked for, a manager
even said to me that if he were hiring,
he would not select a women because
most of them require extra time off to
take care of children. This is a man who
had a stay-at-home wife and children.
Unfortunately, even if a woman does not
have children, she would be viewed the
same as women with children and have
less opportunity to move up.
At my previous job, I was making
20-25% less than my male counterparts with the same title, one engineer
related. I performed better, accomplished more, but was paid lessand
was expected not to complain.
Despite these issues, about half of
the women surveyed say they are either
extremely happy or very happy in their
current positionsclosely matching the
results for men. Digging deeper, 63%
of female engineers say they feel sufficiently challenged intellectually with the
projects they work on, compared to just
56% of men.
But, despite that satisfaction, 42% of
women engineers say theyve considered ditching the profession altogether
to pursue something else, compared to
just over a third of the men we heard
from. In fact, 15% of women say theyre
already looking for a new job, compared

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ENGINEERING
BY THE

numbers

EngineeringFeature

to only 9% of the men surveyed.

One reason may be that most women (55%) dont believe
they have the same opportunities for career advancement in
engineering positions as men. Women tend to promote themselves less than men, even though they are just as capable, noted one women engineer. In my experience, the engineers who
are the most vocal about their accomplishments are advanced
to higher levels than those who quietly do brilliant work.
Its an unconscious bias, claimed another survey participant. Women do not brag about their achievements or come
forward with clear ambition for management positions. Plus,
many men dont believe its possible to have both a family and
a management career.
Another woman engineer put it this way: There is a constant assumption that women engineers must face on a daily
basis: that theyre not engineers (Youre the admin, right?) or
that theyre not really engineers (Youre just the tester, right?).
Their voices are not heard in meetings, theyre not acknowledged in leadership reviews, and theyre discouraged from
working on projects that could advance their careers. These
micro-aggressions accumulate into reduced career outlook.
We are not recognized for what we do, summarized another. Peers, supervisors, and managers get the credit. What we
do is forgotten or downplayed. Also, opportunities to be seen
are given to male engineers by male engineers first.
The women we surveyed indicated that things get even
worse for them if they do get into management. Nearly twothirds (64%) of the female engineering managers we surveyed
say they arent afforded the same career advancement opportunities as men. We are considered emotional and not able to
make the tough decisions that men do, claimed one woman
in a management position. Women are still seen as emotional
and needy, so theyre not considered for some critical positions at companies, another agreed. Ive been told by management those exact words in previous jobs.

HOW DO WOMEN IN ENGINEERING FARE VS.

WOMEN IN OTHER PROFESSIONS WHEN IT COMES
TO EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK?

Worse

24%
Better

27%

About
the
same

49%

A smaller number of women described somewhat different

experiences. I think women who treat themselves like people
rather than women advance the same as men, said one survey
participant. Ive never seen myself as the woman in the room,
just a person in the room, and I share my ideas and thoughts
accordinglyand I have accelerated quickly at my company.
Ironically, however, this same survey participant also said
that her compensation was only in the 21st percentile, while
the male engineers who come to her for guidance are in the
90th percentileand was thus strongly inclined to leave her
job. Its very demoralizing, and its too bad for the company
that they havent fixed it.
Women in engineering have had to contend with men
from the start, wrote another woman. Be it in classrooms
or on the job. You learn to live in their world and it helps
when it comes to things like putting yourself out there for a
raise or promotion.
Some are more philosophical: As in anything with life, if

NEARLY 1 IN 4 WOMEN HAVE CONSIDERED LEAVING THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION TO SPEND MORE
TIME WITH FAMILY. OTHER REASONS ENGINEERS HAVE FOR LEAVING THE PROFESSION INCLUDE:
Try something
different
Something

Women

more fulfilling
or satisfying

42%
33%

To make
more money
15%

32%

27%

Men

More
freedom/
free time

23%

29%

Start a
business
17%

22%

21%

Burnout

25%

20%

No further
chance for
advancement Ready
to retire
17%
10%
18%

17%

The poor
job outlook
for engineers
10%
17%

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Cut back
on long
hours
24%
14%

Switch to
teaching
15%
13%

ENGINEERING
BY THE

numbers

EngineeringFeature

DESPITE RECENT HEALTHCARE REFORM, THE PERCENTAGE

OF ENGINEERS THAT RECEIVE HEALTHCARE BENEFITS
FROM THEIR COMPANY CONTINUES TO DROP
2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

57%

63%

61%

56%

54%

you are a go-getter and want to advance in your career you

will, but if you are timid and dont afford yourself appropriate
connections you will not get the same opportunities.
One reason women have very different experiences is that
their companies maintain very different policies when it comes
to gender issues. In my division at IBM, there are an unusually
high percentage of managers and engineers who are women
compared to other corporations with which Ive interacted,
wrote one respondent. IBM has made a concerted effort to
advance women in technical roles. Also many of the women in
our organization are the best in the world in their fields.
Some companies are making special efforts to address gender disparities, which may account for one interesting statistic
from our research: 67% of them told us theyd been contacted
by a headhunter or recruitment specialist within the past year,
while only 54% of men could make that claim.
Ive always been lucky enough to encounter men who are
more than thrilled at finding a woman engineer who can do as
good, if not better, a job than her male counterparts, chimed
in another. These men typically afford women the same
opportunities for advancement.
And, while its important not to make unfounded generalizations about behavior and gender, it does appear that
women do approach their jobs differently than men. Women,

WOMEN ENGINEERS ARE MORE ACTIVE USERS OF

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS
LinkedIn

63%

Women
Men
Companys
own social
media site

27%

Facebook

22%

Twitter

15%
57%

13%

17%

6%

for example, use social media more extensively for their work
than men. This gives some credence to the belief that women
tend to be more collaborative than their male counterparts.
ADVICE TO THE NEXT GENERATION

Despite the challenges women engineers face, 93% still say they
would recommend engineering as a career path to young girls
and boys alike. Engineering has been a satisfying and personally
rewarding career for me, said one. I do believe that women often
have obstacles that men dont as engineers, but if they are willing
to negotiate those obstacles, it can be a fulfilling career.
Engineering is an exciting field where you can make a difference, said another respondent. There are opportunities
for both men and women, but I would caution women that
they need to be willing to work hard and be prepared to promote their own accomplishments if they want to be noticed
and recognized for their skills.
It is a good career, challenging, and pays well, said another.
Women do well in engineering, but the glass ceiling is low.
This still is a field dominated by men, and it is difficult to fit in.
Some respondents suggested that the bigger issue for young
people was a general understanding of what the engineering
profession was all about. Its something that I believe more
people would enjoy if they had had exposure to it at an early age,
observed one engineer. The U.S. education system does not prepare high school students for careers. Exposure to engineering
is minimal to nonexistent before college and thats unfortunate.
Some women suggested that they would only recommend
engineering to young boys. When I meet someone new and
shake their hand, there is zero chance that their first comment
wont be about my gender, complained one women engineer.
After ten years in the field, it is as sexist as when I first started.
Im tired of having to fight to be seen as an engineer. I wouldnt
recommend this field to young women because I think they
can get further in other fields that dont have the perception
obstacle. Why fight if you can go somewhere better?
Others shared similar sentiments: I believe the only women
who will continue in engineering with the current work environment are those who desperately love the work itself, one
female respondent opined. Why deal with others minimizing
your accomplishments and with constant, blatant discrimination when you can work in a profession where women are more
welcome? Why go through difficult engineering courses and
social hostility to get paid what someone without an undergraduate education gets paid? Medicine has a large pay gap for
women, but women are more socially accepted. My friends that
switched to become doctors found it an easier thing, purely
because of social reasons. It isnt supposed to be an easy career
track, but compared to engineering it was easier for them. Life
is short and love of work is not always enough to override all of
the pitfalls of being a woman in engineering. But Im still in it
because I love the work.

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ENGINEERING
BY THE

numbers

EngineeringFeature

Young girls need extra reassurance and role models, according to some women. Young women need more encouragement than men to go into a field thats already dominated by
men, said one respondent. Im happy to mentor the men who
have made that choice already, but young women need to see
that theres a place for them here, too.
Others homed in on what they saw as a special opportunity for
women. There are not enough women in the field, and a social
stigma exists for girls to pursue math and science in school, said
one engineer. Girls are often not expected to do well in math
and science, and a lot of them seem to subsequently believe that
they should not even try. I think women should want to succeed
for themselves despite pushback or stereotypes.

These comments and others highlight the fact that, even in

2014, the engineering field still suffers from issues that have
plagued it for decades. Our research may even serve as a cautionary note to men in the profession who are unaware of attitudes and behaviors that unfairly undermine the ability of women to succeed in the field, despite their technical competence.
The study also shows the importance of groups like IEEE
Women In Engineering, which can shed light on gender
issues in the profession and take a position of advocacy for
women. Future studies may show some progress in a profession thatperhaps even more than most otherscould
theoretically recognize and reward empirically evident technical abilities without any regard whatsoever for gender.

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