Read more about how we rank the best jobs. 5. For engineers, the problems of traditional career paths may be compounded. Most of my engineer friends from college hadn’t retired yet, but they all changed to a different field now. Mechanical engineering offers a wide variety of career opportunities to job aspirants. A growing number of PEs are choosing to work part-time after retirement. Jobs are ranked according to their ability to offer an elusive mix of factors. To ‘move up’ and maximize earnings often means getting further from what you do best or enjoy (code) and the result may be to leave jobs more often than you should. An engineering career probably will last just 10-20 years before you need to transition into something else. According to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, in America alone, there will be a 4% increase in Mechanical Engineering jobs through 2028. However, if someone is confused about their future after their engineering then it would be best for them to go abroad so that they can design their own life. Mechanical Engineers rank #1 in Best Engineering Jobs. IN FOCUS: CAREER DEVELOPMENT A Second Act. You can’t count on an engineering career to last. Mechanical and industrial engineers are second and third in projected job growth among engineers. Mechanical Engineering jobs are not only profitable, but also in high demand. Firstly, the fact that you're only considering it now makes me think you're not the right personality to be an engineer. Rankings. And studying abroad can benefit in a large manner. Call it a "second act" or an "encore" career, but the fact is that millions of retirees are veering from the expected retirement routine -- golf, garden, rinse and repeat -- and launching a second career in their 60s, 70s and even 80s. Mechanical Engineering careers and salaries. Engineering provides overall features that can be beneficial for a career-oriented person or a student through their career options. I'm normally optimistic about this kind of thing, but for engineering and at 40, no, it just seems too late to me. BY EVA KAPLAN-LEISERSON. Together, these two occupations accounted for about 36 percent of new jobs for engineers. The number of available work opportunities is both stable and growing. The average monthly salary of mechanical engineers who are … E. ngineering projects are often not 9–5 endeavors; work must be completed despite the clock. It’s a decision that benefits engineers, employers, and clients. About 23 percent of new jobs for engineers are projected to be for civil engineers, the largest engineering occupation.. You need more options, so save up and shoot for financial independence.