Engineers build complex problem solving, systems analysis and sound judgment, and science, construction and management roles all need them. Of the 25 careers below, Materials Scientists match mechanical, civil and electrical engineers most closely at 80%, with a BLS May 2025 median of $117,790.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Materials Scientists | 80% | $117,790 | +11% | None |
| 2 | Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | 79% | $99,280 | −7% | Graduate degree |
| 3 | Water Resource Specialists | 79% | $167,220Pay for the broader BLS group “Natural Sciences Managers” | Not compared | None |
| 4 | Construction Managers | 78% | $114,990 | +8% | None |
| 5 | Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists | 74% | $122,570Pay for the broader BLS group “Physical Scientists, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 6 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | 74% | $101,920 | −4% | None |
| 7 | Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | 74% | $141,900Pay for the broader BLS group “Managers, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 8 | Hydrologists | 74% | $96,600 | −9% | None |
| 9 | Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 73% | $171,270Pay for the broader BLS group “Architectural and Engineering Managers” | Not compared | None |
| 10 | Blockchain Engineers | 72% | $116,580Pay for the broader BLS group “Computer Occupations, All Other” | Not compared | None |
Compared with mechanical engineers, civil engineers and electrical engineers: employment-weighted median $106,520. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in engineers’ work (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
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Engineering work means modeling how things behave, testing designs against limits and choosing the safest workable option. O*NET rates complex problem solving at 3.84 out of 5 across mechanical, civil and electrical engineers, so research, earth science and construction roles rank high. Construction managers apply the same planning to crews, schedules and budgets. Data and computing roles reuse your math and systems thinking. The gaps are mostly people skills, such as coordination and negotiation.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
80% skill match · $117,790 · +11% pay
No work-context factor stands out as unusually hard in O*NET data.
79% skill match · $99,280 · −7% pay
Operations Analysis · Coordination · Quality Control Analysis
79% skill match · $167,220 (broader BLS group)
Time Management · Judgment and Decision Making · Systems Evaluation
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Materials Scientists (80%), Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (79%) and Water Resource Specialists (79%), based on O*NET 31.0. Construction Managers (78%) and Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers (74%) are also close and use your design and analysis skills.
8 of the 25 matches pay more than the $106,520 median for the engineers on this page. Architectural and Engineering Managers earn $171,270 (+61%), Medical Dosimetrists earn $147,470 (+38%) and Computer and Information Research Scientists earn $140,300 (+32%), according to BLS May 2025 data.
Usually not. 22 of the 25 matches need no more education than an engineering degree, based on O*NET Job Zones. 3 of them usually need a graduate degree, including Architects, Except Landscape and Naval, which also need a state license to practice.
If you want to stay in engineering but change focus, the nearest roles are Water/Wastewater Engineers (94% match), Industrial Engineers (92%), Transportation Engineers (92%) and Solar Energy Systems Engineers (90%). These keep your core training while moving into a different industry.