Last updated on February 23, 2018
Hello! We’re talking a little more about U.S. News and World Report’s 100 Best Jobs of 2018 and how that relates to degrees and certificates offered at Dallas Community Colleges. Today’s subject includes jobs related to engineering technology and what you need to do to get started in those careers.
Some of the jobs we’re talking about will require a bachelor’s degree. You might be interested in that, or you might not, so we’ve tried to also include related jobs where an associate degree will usually be plenty.
34. Mechanical Engineer
- Role: Mechanical engineers have an enthusiasm for solving problems — often you’ll find them researching, designing, developing, building and testing various devices.
- Annual Mean Wage in Texas: $103,060
- Expected Employment Growth: 9 percent from 2016 to 2026
- Educational Pathway: Some employers will hire entry-level individuals with an associate degree, and some won’t. One way you can get started is with an Associate of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, offered in conjunction with bachelor’s degree programs at Texas universities.
70. Cartographer
- Role: Cartographers draw maps, often to help make sense of a complicated issue or to help visualize data geographically to find trends and patterns.
- Annual Mean Wage in Texas: $63,480
- Expected Employment Growth: 19 percent from 2016 to 2026
- Educational Pathway: You can get started with an associate degree in Geographic Information Systems Technology and transfer to finish a bachelor’s degree, but another option with that associate degree might be to look into jobs as a surveying and mapping technician.
80. Medical Equipment Repairer
- Role: When a CAT scanner, MRI scanner or other piece of important medical equipment breaks down, medical equipment repairers are the people who troubleshoot the problem and make the fix.
- Annual Mean Wage in Texas: $51,660
- Expected Employment Growth: 4 percent from 2016 to 2026
- Educational Pathway: Starting with an Associate of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering will qualify you for most entry-level technician jobs, but a bachelor’s degree may be required for some areas of specialization.
Honorable Mention: Environmental Engineering Technician
- Role: Environmental engineering technicians execute the plans created by environmental engineers with the hopes of reducing environmental pollution.
- Annual Mean Wage in Texas: $56,020
- Expected Employment Growth: 13 percent from 2016 to 2026
- Educational Pathway: Most technicians earn a Renewable/Sustainable Energy Technician Associate in Applied Sciences degree or an associate degree in a related field.
Interested in Learning More About the Engineering Programs at Dallas Community Colleges?
- Check out the engineering-related programs pages on our website.