From the Art Museum of the Americas to the White House Visitor Center, the District of Columbia offers visitors and residents a diverse array of opportunities. The nation’s capitol is one of the most culture-rich cities in the United States, especially for political enthusiasts.
Veterans and military personnel enjoy many of the monuments and memorials to the services, such as the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum, the Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Women in Vietnam Memorial. The Smithsonian museums are also areas of attraction that offer invaluable research and information for engineers and engineering students.
As for engineering in the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that health and safety engineers in the state have the highest employment rate increase at 33.1%, with computer hardware engineers not far behind.
There are several larger employers within the District’s limits, some of those include: Northrup Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, Marriott International Inc., Verizon, Lockheed Martin Corp., Medstar Health, Inova Health System, Northrup Grumman, and Science Applications International Corp.
Engineering Programs in the District of Columbia
The city does not have as many colleges and universities as some other cities, but it has some high quality institutions where students can get an engineering degree. Whether the student is seeking a bachelor degree or a higher degree, he or she can find a few opportunities at District of Columbia schools.
George Washington University offers degrees in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering General, Computer Engineering and three other engineering degrees. Howard University offers Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering General and Mechanical Engineering. University Of The District Of Columbia has degrees in Architectural Engineering and four other engineering fields.
Outlook for Engineering Jobs in the District of Columbia
Although reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that engineering jobs in the District of Columbia are generally below the national average, there are many opportunities for engineers. Nationally, the BLS reports that the job outlook for engineers is average or slightly below average.
In the District, there are approximately two computer hardware engineers per thousand workers, which is the highest concentration of computer hardware engineers in the nation. The approximated $111,000 per year set the district at third in the nation for mean annual wage.