The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Research Institute commissioned Rockport Analytics, an independent research firm, to make a comprehensive overview of the Engineering, Architectural and Surveying Services Industry (A/E Services). The report, titled “2020 Engineering Industry Profile,” made some key findings.
One of the data points that emerged was that the total GDP reached by the industry amounted to $229 billion in 2019 (overall U.S. GDP was $21.4 trillion in 2019). It was also found that the sector directly employed about 1.5 million Americans in 2019. Combined with the additional 3 million indirectly related jobs, this amounted to 3% of the total job market in the United States.
The average annual income for those employed by this sector was $88,000 (the average salary across all industries in the U.S. was $60,300). Notably, 67% of this sector is comprised of engineers.
The intention of this study was to showcase the value of engineers, architects, and related professionals coming together to generate the built environment of the United States. The report states that “the built environment refers to all human-made surroundings that provide the setting for human activity, ranging in scale from buildings and parks/green space to neighborhoods and cities including their supporting infrastructure, such as water supply or energy networks.”
To learn about more essential findings of this study and to understand the methods used to conduct this study, please follow the link to the full report, here.