Engineering in 2025
A sector overview
Based on recent industry snapshot reports generated from Lightcast data, the job market in specific engineering industry sectors is expected to experience remarkable growth in 2025, fueled by rapid advancements in technology and shifting industry demands. Employers will see increased demand across sectors such as Semiconductor & Electronics, Advanced Manufacturing & Automation, Medical Device, and Transportation, among others. Before we explore each of those areas, for context, let’s begin with a snapshot of the entire Engineering Services industry in the U.S.
Overall Engineering Services supply.
The BLS estimates there are 1.8 million total engineering jobs in the U.S., including engineers, engineering technicians and technologists. Across the entire U.S. Engineering Services sector, it’s estimated that 976,685 people are working today in roles across the spectrum of engineering and technical roles. That total expects to grow to 1,215,947 by 2028, an increase of 24.5%.
Other demographic factors to consider when making your hiring plans in Engineering Services include:
Retirement risk – about 297,700 of current workers are 55+ years old (30.4%)
Racial diversity – about 310,670 of current workers are racially diverse (31.8%)
Gender diversity – about 335,445 of current workers are female (34.3%)
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Overall Engineering Services demand.
Total demand across the sector, counted as the job posting activity, totaled roughly 432,798 for the past 12 months. Also:
A total of 6,926 employers accounted for the postings.
Job postings lasted about 26 days online on average before removal.
Average earnings per job was about $134,164, among the highest for all occupations.
With average demand of 36,067 per month for the past year, top job titles posted include:
Exploring some hyper-specialties that cross Engineering.
In the next sections, we’ll examine some of the most in-demand job titles that we’ve identified in several other high-growth sectors across engineering. For instance, the global semiconductor market will require a growing workforce of chip designers, process engineers, and software developers to meet increasing demand. Simultaneously, the industrial automation sector, propelled by the adoption of Industry 4.0, IIoT, and smart manufacturing, will see heightened demand for Automation Engineers, Control Systems Specialists, and robotics professionals.
As an employer, you need to be strategically prepared as competition for highly specialized roles intensifies in some areas, and levels out in others. For instance, positions requiring expertise in high-demand fields like AI, embedded systems, and advanced robotics will see increased applicant pools. While this means more access, it also means more time spent screening and processing. Compensation trends may underscore the attractiveness of the engineering field—but will add another level of complexity to your negotiations.
Our industry data reveals distinct hiring timelines, with positions such as field service engineers and automation engineers often filling sooner than average, while more niche roles like Chip Designers and Process Engineers can take as long as 90 days to secure the right candidate. Understanding these dynamics will allow you to align your timelines and strategies effectively in each of our highlighted sectors.
The 2025 hiring landscape is set to be dynamic and highly competitive, driven by rapid technological advancements across key industries. Businesses across these STEM-focused fields will face significant challenges in sourcing specialized professionals. Meeting these demands will take a clear understanding of industry trends and a proactive approach to securing the right talent before your competitors do.
Navigating these hiring challenges on your own can result in costly delays, mismatched hires, and missed opportunities. That’s where finding a specialized hiring partner becomes critical. At Kelly Engineering, we speak your industry’s language and deliver highly qualified candidates, including the 35% of passive talent in our pipeline that's not searchable on job boards. We specialize in screening and matching experts to your exact requirements, ensuring you gain access to the best talent while staying within your budget and timelines.
Flexible hiring solutions are crucial in today’s fast-evolving job market. Whether your needs are permanent staffing, SOW-based expertise, or scaling up during periods of growth—we offer customized workforce strategies that adapt to your business goals. Our agile statement of work (SOW) solution— statementworX —customizes to your business needs across a suite of models. That can range from the delivery of non-full-time resources for sustained periods of time, to mission critical projects with defined deliverables, to technical solutions delivery.
The cost of not evolving with hiring trends is clear—a struggle to retain top talent, higher turnover rates, and increased financial impact. On the other hand, adopting forward-thinking practices like building diverse talent pipelines and creating inclusive and flexible work environments sets your organization apart as a leader. Kelly can help you leverage these strategies to attract and retain top-tier professionals while driving innovation and long-term success.
Partner with us to secure engineering experts who can fuel your advancements. The future of work is fast approaching. Don’t wait—reach out today and start preparing for growth in 2025 and beyond.
Lightcast data is a hybrid dataset derived from official government sources such as the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Leveraging the unique strengths of each source, our data modeling team creates an authoritative dataset that captures more than 99% of all workers in the United States. This core offering is then enriched with data from online social profiles, resumés, and job postings to give you a complete view of the workforce.
For more insight on these industry segments and more, check out ReSETTing Tomorrow—the podcast that’s your gateway to the thrilling world of STEM!
