Recent surveys on the U.S. labor market point to favorable employment opportunities for engineers and scientists, even in today’s struggling economy. According to statistics compiled at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the nation’s engineering workforce of more than 1.7 million professionals is expected to increase by 11 percent through 2016. In addition, studies of the science and engineering labor force conducted by the National Science Foundation note that the strong growth in technology jobs over the past two decades will continue, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of the total labor market. Engineers and scientists are earning good starting salaries as well. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 12 of the 15 highest-earning college degrees are in engineering. Starting salaries in petroleum engineering average $83,121, while mechanical, aeronautical, and industrial engineers can expect offers in the mid to high-50,000...