Freedomz // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $61,620
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 190 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying computer and engineering jobs in Minneapolis
What do we mean when we talk about computer and engineering jobs? Well, that depends. These positions encompass various roles dedicated to new technology development and maintenance. Take software developers, who create and oversee computer programs, versus mechanical engineers, who design and build physical products, tools, and systems. However different these careers may be, though, they do have a few things in common: bachelor's degree requirements, a focus on analytical thinking, and the allure of a steady paycheck, particularly for recent college graduates.
First, the bad news—ongoing technological advancements have massively impacted these industries. As the use of artificial intelligence has exploded in the technology sector, finding an entry-level job has become increasingly difficult. LinkedIn Chief Economic Opportunity Officer Aneesh Raman noted in a May 2025 op-ed for The New York Times that artificial intelligence is decimating the "bottom rung of the career ladder" in technology, while a May 2025 report from SignalFire found that the hiring of new grads at the nation's 15 largest tech companies has dropped by more than 50% since 2019.
Yet, while the situation may seem dire, it's not all doom and gloom for computer and engineering jobs. Although these positions may be more selective than they once were, many pay far more than the country's 2024 median wages of $49,500. Those in computer and information technology occupations can expect to make a median salary of $105,990 as of 2024, while engineers earn median wages of more than $97,000.
Employment in these fields is also expected to grow at a healthy rate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an average of 356,700 new computer job openings yearly through 2033, and 195,000 new engineering job openings in the same period. Furthermore, growing interest in sustainable infrastructure and construction techniques could lead to exciting opportunities for engineers.
Though it's difficult to predict the exact future of computer and engineering jobs, those interested in these fields can at least consider one important aspect: salary. Stacker used BLS data to find the highest-paying computer and engineering jobs Minneapolis. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in Minneapolis
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $64,890
- Median hourly wage: $31.20
- Total employment: 10,400 people (5.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,960
- Median hourly wage: $31.23
- Total employment: 590 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $65,670
- Median hourly wage: $31.57
- Total employment: 800 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $68,600
- Median hourly wage: $32.98
- Total employment: 4,400 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Minneapolis for high school graduates
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $69,790
- Median hourly wage: $33.55
- Total employment: 1,730 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $72,950
- Median hourly wage: $35.07
- Total employment: 40 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $73,770
- Median hourly wage: $35.47
- Total employment: 370 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $73,980
- Median hourly wage: $35.57
- Total employment: 1,010 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Toa55 // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Landscape architects
- Median annual wage: $74,160
- Median hourly wage: $35.66
- Total employment: 150 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Minneapolis
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $74,780
- Median hourly wage: $35.95
- Total employment: 140 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Median annual wage: $74,980
- Median hourly wage: $36.05
- Total employment: 380 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,970
- Median hourly wage: $37.49
- Total employment: 740 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $78,790
- Median hourly wage: $37.88
- Total employment: 900 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $79,460
- Median hourly wage: $38.20
- Total employment: 2,210 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in the Minneapolis metro area
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $79,770
- Median hourly wage: $38.35
- Total employment: 500 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Freedy // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Surveyors
- Median annual wage: $80,290
- Median hourly wage: $38.60
- Total employment: 600 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Web and digital interface designers
- Median annual wage: $82,440
- Median hourly wage: $39.64
- Total employment: 1,070 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Francesco Scatena // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Cartographers and photogrammetrists
- Median annual wage: $88,540
- Median hourly wage: $42.57
- Total employment: 80 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $92,840
- Median hourly wage: $44.63
- Total employment: 1,160 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Best colleges in Minneapolis
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $96,970
- Median hourly wage: $46.62
- Total employment: 3,000 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $98,200
- Median hourly wage: $47.21
- Total employment: 2,020 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $100,490
- Median hourly wage: $48.31
- Total employment: 750 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $100,740
- Median hourly wage: $48.43
- Total employment: 4,510 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,680
- Median hourly wage: $48.88
- Total employment: 2,970 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Best private K-12 schools in the Minneapolis metro area
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $101,750
- Median hourly wage: $48.92
- Total employment: 710 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,190
- Median hourly wage: $49.13
- Total employment: 3,140 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,440
- Median hourly wage: $49.25
- Total employment: 14,250 people (7.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Web developers
- Median annual wage: $103,910
- Median hourly wage: $49.96
- Total employment: 1,090 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $105,930
- Median hourly wage: $50.93
- Total employment: 2,430 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Minneapolis in the last week
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,960
- Median hourly wage: $51.42
- Total employment: 2,630 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,380
- Median hourly wage: $52.11
- Total employment: 660 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $108,680
- Median hourly wage: $52.25
- Total employment: 8,360 people (4.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $109,190
- Median hourly wage: $52.49
- Total employment: 750 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $115,770
- Median hourly wage: $55.66
- Total employment: 1,620 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Minneapolis area by diners
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $116,000
- Median hourly wage: $55.77
- Total employment: 150 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $117,820
- Median hourly wage: $56.65
- Total employment: 210 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $119,860
- Median hourly wage: $57.63
- Total employment: 2,870 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $122,110
- Median hourly wage: $58.71
- Total employment: 150 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $125,670
- Median hourly wage: $60.42
- Total employment: 1,110 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: People from these metros are looking to buy homes in Minneapolis
Tonhom1009 // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,780
- Median hourly wage: $60.95
- Total employment: 630 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $126,900
- Median hourly wage: $61.01
- Total employment: 1,590 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Another77 // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Petroleum engineers
- Median annual wage: $128,580
- Median hourly wage: $61.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $129,380
- Median hourly wage: $62.20
- Total employment: 2,090 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wee dezign // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $129,430
- Median hourly wage: $62.22
- Total employment: 29,550 people (15.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying management jobs for people in Minneapolis
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $130,530
- Median hourly wage: $62.76
- Total employment: 420 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $131,810
- Median hourly wage: $63.37
- Total employment: 50 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MinskDesign // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $132,880
- Median hourly wage: $63.88
- Total employment: 790 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $147,940
- Median hourly wage: $71.13
- Total employment: 110 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Nuclear engineers
- Median annual wage: $150,260
- Median hourly wage: $72.24
- Total employment: 150 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
You may also like: Highest-rated breakfast restaurants in the Minneapolis area by diners
