Although most people think of corn and Angus beef as Iowa's only industries, Iowa has a strong base of engineering jobs. In fact, electrical and computer engineers and Iowa State University students are creating an asteroid-destroying device.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports Iowa to have a growing engineering spectrum in almost all fields. The fields with the largerst growth in employment rates are agricultural engineering at 19.2% and chemical engineering at 25.5%.
Here are some of the larger companies in Iowa that hire engineerings professionals: Deere & CO., Rockwell Collins, Inc., Principal Life Insurance Company, University of Iowa, Rock Island Arsenal, Genesis Health Systems, Mercy Hospital Medical Center, Alcoa and AEGON USA, Inc.
Engineering Education in Iowa
Iowa has a strong education system and engineering programs are a part of that. Iowa State University and University of Iowa, which are the two major university systems, offer many engineering degrees.
Students can work toward bachelor, master, or doctorate degrees in Agricultural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and more. Some private colleges, such as Graceland University at Lamoni and Hamilton Technical College at Davenport, offer engineering degrees.
Outlook for Engineering Jobs in Iowa
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that there will be a normal to slow job growth rate for engineers in general. With Iowa's solid agricultural base, it is possible that agricultural engineering will experience a steady job growth due to the development of biofuel and the need for increased food production. Many states like Iowa are experiencing an growth in safety engineering jobs, especially in the medical healthcare industry.
According to a 2012 report by the BLS, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area is in the top ten metropolitan areas in the U.S. with a high concentration of industrial engineers. When looking for jobs, applicants should consider government positions, such as the Engineering Department for the city of Waterloo.