Join us for PSAT: When and Why on 8/13 at 8 pm EST. Space is limited, register today!
Join us for PSAT: When and Why on 8/13 at 8 pm EST. Space is limited, register today!
If you’re wondering how to become an engineer, the journey starts long before landing your first job. It begins with the major you choose, the skills you build, and the experiences you collect—often as early as high school.
If you’re asking yourself, “Which engineering major is right for me?”, this guide will help you figure it out. Below, we’ll explore the most popular undergraduate engineering majors, break down what each one involves, and show you how to choose a major that matches your skills, interests, and career goals.
Engineers design, build, test, and improve nearly every product and system around you. From smartphones and solar panels to bridges and biomedical devices, engineers turn ideas into reality. Whether you’re designing safer cars, optimizing hospital equipment, or creating eco-friendly energy solutions, there’s an engineering path for you.
Colleges and universities in the U.S. offer dozens of engineering majors, each with its own unique curriculum and career outcomes. Here’s a breakdown of some of the more popular options that prospective engineering students should know:
A branch of mechanical engineering, aerospace covers the design and creation of air and spacecrafts, satellites and missiles – essentially, anything under the umbrella of aviation. Aerospace engineers are often employed by the government (NASA; DOD) as well as large publicly traded and small private corporations. It is considered one of the more lucrative fields in engineering.
Biomedical engineering, sometimes simply called bioengineering, covers the intricacies of living organisms, and the mechanisms by which we study them, through a combination of engineering, medicine and biology. Biomedical engineers are responsible for designing software to run medical equipment and work to create prosthetics and other artificial benefits that humans rely on when sick.
This field is the backdrop for work involving chemical, fuel, drug and food production. Chemical engineers design systems and equipment that allow for chemicals, gases and liquids to be safely produced and transferred during the process of manufacturing.
Civil engineers are responsible for the design of infrastructure in our everyday lives – roads, bridges, buildings and airports, to name a few. Environmental engineers can also design infrastructure, but with a more specific focus on environmental issues, including wind turbines, recycling/waste disposal plants and water treatment plants.
Students in this field design and implement any electrical and/or computer systems – software, lighting, navigation and communication systems. Electrical and computer engineering is involved in just about every aspect of our daily lives – creating an in-demand, relatively stable career path.
Industrial engineering, sometimes called operations research, entails the design and improvement upon the systems that create and deliver all sorts of products. Industrial engineers work to maximize efficiency between human labor, technology and energy. They play a key role in making sure that all facets of a system work congruently to increase profits and output.
These engineers are responsible for the smallest details and materials that make up products and structures. They develop new, more efficient materials and evaluate how existing plastic, carbon fiber, ceramics and metals are used. Next time you swing a golf club or tennis racket, you can thank materials engineers for developing and testing the tiniest materials that allow these items to function properly.
One of the broader disciplines of engineering, mechanical engineering is part of just about any mechanical problem you can think of. These engineers design infrastructure for buildings, air conditioning units, medical devices, tractor parts – and everything in between!
Nuclear engineers are responsible for the design and research behind systems, structures and materials that are radiological. They design and operate nuclear power plants, consult on the design of nuclear weapons and create medical equipment that utilizes radiology for cancer treatment. Nuclear & radiological engineering comprise one of the more specialized and profitable fields of engineering.
If you’re unsure what kind of engineer you want to be yet, there’s good news: many universities, such as Cornell and CMU, allow students to apply to the College of Engineering rather than a specific major.
This structure is especially helpful if you’re considering multiple options, like electrical vs. computer engineering, or are new to fields like materials science or biomedical tech.
Once enrolled, you’ll usually spend your first year completing foundational coursework in math, physics, intro to computing, and general engineering principles. Some schools also offer seminars or intro classes where you can explore multiple engineering fields in a hands-on way.
By the end of your first year, you’ll have the context and experience to make a more informed—and confident—decision about your major.
Even if you’re applying undecided, many colleges have strict requirements for admission to their engineering school. The earlier you explore engineering opportunities for high school students, the better prepared you’ll be to choose a major that matches your passion and skillset.
Here’s a quick rundown of what admissions officers want to see in your high school transcript:
Beyond the classroom, look into hands-on experiences like:
You don’t need to do everything, but you should start somewhere. Whether that’s building a robot, writing code for a small project, or shadowing an engineer for a day, any real-world exposure helps clarify what you might want to major in later.
Pro tip: Don’t just pick the major with the highest salary or job growth. Instead, think about what type of work excites you. Do you want to work with computers? Build infrastructure? Design medical tech? Each engineering major opens the door to different career paths.
Ready to explore your path to engineering schools? Book a call with us to see how AcceptU counselors can help you create a winning college application strategy.
No engineering major is truly “easy”—each one demands strong analytical thinking, technical knowledge, and dedication. That said, students often find civil or industrial engineering slightly more manageable in terms of theoretical complexity compared to fields like electrical or nuclear engineering. But it all comes down to your strengths. If you’re more visual and hands-on, civil might feel natural. If you’re more code-driven and abstract, software or computer engineering could be easier for you.
Yes, in most schools, especially those that admit you to a College of Engineering rather than a major, switching is very doable. Some majors have limited seats or strict GPA requirements. If you’re considering a switch, talk to your academic advisor early to understand prerequisites and timing.
Absolutely. Many colleges offer a General Engineering or Undeclared Engineering program for first-year students. This lets you explore different disciplines, build foundational skills, and make a more informed decision later. It’s a smart move for anyone who’s interested in engineering but not ready to commit to a specific field on day one.
