Evening star., 1930-12-17
WIDE OPPORTUNITY
OPEN TO ENGINEERS
U. S. Education Specialist
ForgetS Presidency in
Possible Fields.
BY REX COLLIER.

Uncle Sam has found that wide
field of opportunity lies before the
graduate in engineering, but in de-
failing specific service to which the
student may aspire no mention is made
of the fact that an engineer also may
become President.
| In a study of the field of civil engi-
neering, conducted for the information
of college students enrolled in engineer
| ing courses. Walter ]. Grenleaf, as
sociate specialist in higher education OF
| the Department of Interior describes
half a dozen distinct types of work into
which engineering fits-from laying
sewers to building bridges.
Average Salary Is $4,116.
The study showed that the average
annual salary of a civil engineer Is $4,-
| 116, based on incomes of 1,643 engi-
neers chosen at random. Tt is apparent
that Herber Hoover was not one OF the
engineers included in the survey, but
then his income as an engineer in the
height of his technical career was far
bevond the average.
! Hoover, on graduating from STAN
| ford University, embarked on the career
! cf q mining engineer and eventually
! bocene engineering ccnsultfnt of a
'-ugc international mining syndicate.
His promotions were rapid and his earn
ings jumped b. leans until, at the out
set of the World War, he was classed
as a millionaire Incidentally, it is
known that his war service and phi
lanthropies greatly reduced his fortune.
His friends say that while he was well
off, when he entered the White House,
he was not a millionaire.
Civil Engineering Oldest.
The Governments education special
ist found that of the 1,643 engineers
canvassed, % who were just a year out
of college received salaries averaging
$1,973; 459 men 2 years out of college
averaged $2,360; 362 men 5 years out of
college received an average of $3,175;
207 men out 10 years, $4,151; 246 men
out Is years, $5,526; 148 out 90 years,
S6,226; 95 men out 25 years, $6,797, and
9S men out 80 years. STOPS.
Twelve per cent of the men made
salaries ranging from $4,000 to $500,
while only per cent made larger sala-
ries annually
Civil engineering" Greenleaf de-
clared, "is the oldest branch of engi-
neering, and it dates to the construc-
ton of the pyramids in Egypt. Devel-
opment OF civil engineering to present.
day efficiency has been accomplished
by the utilization of mechanical and
electrical machines and appliances
which tend to speed operations, trans
portation and construction In this
evolution five main branches are out
standing, namely. structural. railroad
highway, hydraulic and sanitary engi-
neering"
125 Colleges Offer Courses.
Each type of engineering is defined
including Federal work. to which the
profession IS essential
Two-thirds of civil engineering grad
yates are employed in their own pro-
feSsion, another 5 per cent operate in
closely associated fields, IL per cent
enter other engineering branches and
IL per cent do not follow the profess
sion for which they studied, the study
revealed. Nearly half of all engineers
In the United States are civil engi-
neers, it was learned
There are 125 four-year colleges and
professional schools Offering courses
leading to degrees in civil engineering.
No organization accredits or approves
schools of engineering, but the Ameri-
can Society of Civil Engineers has taken
step toward this end bv establishing
student chapters" in schools of "ap-
proved standing" The society does not
list these schools, however.