Online Engineering Schools in Kentucky
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For aspiring engineers in Kentucky (KY), the state provides a wealth of opportunities in education, training, employment, and professional networking. To be sure, while 24,100 engineering and architectural professionals already have a job in the Bluegrass State, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2016), employment opportunities are only expected to increase in the coming decade. By illustration, the BLS (October 2016) predicted significant growth across various fields of engineering between 2014 and 2024, with the following areas experiencing the greatest development nationally: civil engineering (305,000 new jobs, 2014-24), mechanical engineering (292,100 jobs), industrial engineering (243,200 jobs), and electrical engineering (180,200 jobs). In percentage terms, the top-growing subfields were biomedical (23.1 percent increase in positions nationally, 2014-2024); marine (8.9 percent), and civil (8.4 percent increase).
In Kentucky, there are some engineering subfields expected to grow even faster. As proof of point, Projections Central (2017) anticipated that the following specializations would be the fastest growing in the coming decade: environmental (26.5 percent increase in positions, 2014-24); biomedical (24.6 percent increase); civil (15.3 percent increase); industrial (15.3 percent increase); and industrial (14.2 percent increase) . Notably, the above national and state-based projections are significantly larger than the average growth expected across all occupations nationally in the same decade (6.5 percent).
In addition to healthy job prospects, aspiring engineers in KY can look forward to earning a competitive salary, as well. While the average annual salary for all jobs in Kentucky was $41,760 (BLS May 2016), the average wage for architectural and engineering professionals was much higher ($70,280). And some types of engineers can expect to earn far more than that, with the following list highlighting some of the highest-earning engineering professionals in the state:
- Aerospace engineers – $103,490 (average annual salary)
- Electrical engineers – $87,640
- Mechanical engineers – $83,140
- Materials engineers – $80,160
Finally, there are a myriad engineering organizations and societies that operate across Kentucky. Here is a list of the most prominent engineering associations that offer support through continuing education, networking opportunities, events, advocacy efforts, training resources, and more:
Historically, aspiring engineers in KY would attend exclusively on-campus programs, but there’s a growing array of distance-based programs available in the state. While online engineering programs are a relatively new concept, they generally provide a high-quality education and can allow for much greater flexibility than their in-person counterparts.
This guide examines accredited online engineering programs in KY, including the expected coursework, costs, and three outstanding professors.
