GITNUXREPORT 2026

Hr In The Engineering Industry Statistics

Engineering HR faces talent shortages, hiring delays, fierce competition, and a strong reliance on referrals and AI tools.

Alexander Schmidt

Research Analyst specializing in technology and digital transformation trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

Average engineering salary increased 5.2% in 2023 to $112,000.

Statistic 2

78% of engineering firms offer 401(k) matching at 4-6%.

Statistic 3

Bonus pay averaged 12% of base for senior engineers.

Statistic 4

Health insurance premiums covered 85% by employers.

Statistic 5

Equity grants in engineering startups averaged 0.5% vesting over 4 years.

Statistic 6

PTO averaged 20 days plus 10 holidays for engineers.

Statistic 7

62% offer tuition reimbursement up to $5,250/year.

Statistic 8

Overtime pay for exempt engineers at 1.5x after 40 hours.

Statistic 9

Relocation packages averaged $15,000 for engineers.

Statistic 10

55% have profit-sharing plans distributing 3-5%.

Statistic 11

Gender pay parity achieved in 43% of engineering firms.

Statistic 12

HSAs funded 50% by employers averaging $1,200.

Statistic 13

71% provide gym memberships or wellness stipends $500/year.

Statistic 14

Long-term disability coverage at 60% salary replacement.

Statistic 15

48% offer student loan repayment up to $2,000/year.

Statistic 16

Commuter benefits averaged $300/month tax-free.

Statistic 17

66% have parental leave at 12 weeks paid.

Statistic 18

Performance incentives tied to 15% variable pay.

Statistic 19

52% increased salaries 6% due to inflation in 2023.

Statistic 20

Life insurance 2x salary standard in engineering.

Statistic 21

59% offer mental health days as benefit.

Statistic 22

Pet insurance adopted by 23% of firms.

Statistic 23

67% have annual compensation reviews.

Statistic 24

Severance averages 2 weeks per year served.

Statistic 25

44% provide childcare subsidies $4,000/year.

Statistic 26

Total rewards packages valued at 30% above base pay.

Statistic 27

Women hold 28% of engineering roles industry-wide as of 2023.

Statistic 28

Ethnic minorities represent 24% of the engineering workforce in 2023.

Statistic 29

15% increase in LGBTQ+ engineers hired since 2020 in major firms.

Statistic 30

Only 12% of senior engineering leadership is female in 2023.

Statistic 31

37% of engineering firms have DEI training programs mandatory in 2023.

Statistic 32

Black engineers make up 5.5% of the total workforce in 2023.

Statistic 33

Hispanic/Latino engineers increased to 9% from 7% in five years.

Statistic 34

22% of engineering internships went to underrepresented minorities in 2023.

Statistic 35

Gender pay gap in engineering stands at 18% favoring men in 2023.

Statistic 36

41% of firms track DEI metrics quarterly in engineering HR.

Statistic 37

Asian engineers comprise 19% but face bamboo ceiling in promotions.

Statistic 38

Disability disclosure in engineering hiring rose to 4% in 2023.

Statistic 39

29% improvement in diverse team innovation metrics in engineering.

Statistic 40

63% of engineering leaders support blind resume screening for DEI.

Statistic 41

Veteran hiring in engineering reached 8% of new hires in 2023.

Statistic 42

51% of firms have ERGs for women in engineering.

Statistic 43

Intersectional DEI programs cover 34% of engineering companies.

Statistic 44

Retention of diverse engineers improved 12% with mentorship.

Statistic 45

17% of engineering patents from diverse teams in 2023.

Statistic 46

Age diversity: under 30s are 28%, over 50s 22% in engineering.

Statistic 47

Neurodiversity hiring initiatives in 19% of tech-engineering firms.

Statistic 48

45% of DEI budgets increased 20% YoY in engineering HR.

Statistic 49

Inclusive culture scores 25% higher in diverse engineering teams.

Statistic 50

33% of firms audit for bias in engineering promotions.

Statistic 51

Indigenous engineers represent 1.2% with targeted programs growing.

Statistic 52

56% employee satisfaction boost from DEI efforts in engineering.

Statistic 53

Engineering turnover for minorities dropped 9% with DEI focus.

Statistic 54

27% of board seats targeted for diversity in engineering corps.

Statistic 55

In 2023, 68% of engineering companies reported challenges in sourcing qualified mechanical engineers due to skill shortages.

Statistic 56

Engineering firms saw a 45% increase in time-to-hire for electrical engineers from 2021 to 2023, averaging 62 days.

Statistic 57

72% of HR leaders in engineering cited competition from tech giants as the top barrier to hiring civil engineers.

Statistic 58

Only 34% of engineering job postings received over 50 applications in 2023, down from 52% in 2019.

Statistic 59

55% of engineering recruiters used AI tools for resume screening in 2023, improving match rates by 28%.

Statistic 60

Campus hiring for chemical engineers dropped 19% in 2023 due to remote work preferences.

Statistic 61

61% of engineering firms offered signing bonuses averaging $12,000 for software engineers in 2023.

Statistic 62

Diversity hiring goals were met by only 27% of engineering companies for women in STEM roles in 2023.

Statistic 63

Referrals accounted for 41% of hires in engineering firms, highest among all industries.

Statistic 64

76% of engineering HR reported needing more data scientists, with 90% vacancy fill rate challenge.

Statistic 65

Average cost-per-hire for aerospace engineers reached $18,500 in 2023.

Statistic 66

49% of engineering postings required hybrid work, reducing applicant pools by 33%.

Statistic 67

Engineering intern conversion to full-time hires was 67% in top firms in 2023.

Statistic 68

58% of HR in engineering used LinkedIn for 80% of sourcing in 2023.

Statistic 69

Skill mismatch affected 63% of rejected engineering candidates in 2023.

Statistic 70

Female representation in engineering hiring pipelines was 22% in 2023.

Statistic 71

71% of engineering firms increased recruiter headcount by 15% in 2023.

Statistic 72

ATS adoption in engineering HR rose to 89%, cutting screening time by 40%.

Statistic 73

52% of engineering hires were internal promotions in large firms in 2023.

Statistic 74

Video interviews were used by 82% of engineering recruiters, speeding hires by 25%.

Statistic 75

64% of engineering companies struggled with hiring biomedical engineers due to regulatory skills gap.

Statistic 76

Offer acceptance rate for industrial engineers was 78% with relocation support.

Statistic 77

59% of HR reported ghosting by candidates at 30% rate in engineering.

Statistic 78

Engineering firms saw 38% YoY increase in demand for sustainability engineers.

Statistic 79

67% of hires in engineering required upskilling interviews in 2023.

Statistic 80

Passive candidate sourcing via networks yielded 55% better quality hires.

Statistic 81

73% of engineering HR used employer branding to attract 25% more applicants.

Statistic 82

Time-to-fill for petroleum engineers averaged 85 days in 2023.

Statistic 83

44% of engineering job offers included equity compensation to compete.

Statistic 84

69% of recruiters prioritized soft skills in engineering hires equally with technical.

Statistic 85

Engineering turnover rate averaged 14.2% in 2023.

Statistic 86

42% of engineers cited work-life balance as top retention factor.

Statistic 87

Voluntary turnover in engineering firms was 11.8% for mid-level roles.

Statistic 88

67% of departing engineers joined competitors for better pay.

Statistic 89

Retention bonuses retained 78% of critical engineering talent.

Statistic 90

Average tenure for software engineers is 2.8 years in 2023.

Statistic 91

55% of HR linked turnover to lack of career progression.

Statistic 92

Engineering firms with flex hours saw 22% lower turnover.

Statistic 93

31% turnover reduction via employee engagement surveys.

Statistic 94

Cost of turnover per engineer averaged $75,000 in 2023.

Statistic 95

49% of engineers plan to leave within 2 years per surveys.

Statistic 96

Mentorship programs cut junior engineer turnover by 35%.

Statistic 97

Remote work increased retention by 18% in engineering teams.

Statistic 98

Exit interviews revealed burnout in 53% of engineering departures.

Statistic 99

64% retention rate boost from internal mobility programs.

Statistic 100

High performers turnover 9.5%, costing 3x more to replace.

Statistic 101

72% of firms use stay interviews quarterly for retention.

Statistic 102

Turnover spiked 28% post-promotion denials in engineering.

Statistic 103

Wellness programs reduced turnover by 16% in engineering.

Statistic 104

41% of turnover linked to poor manager relationships.

Statistic 105

Engineering tenure rose 0.5 years with hybrid models.

Statistic 106

Predictive analytics cut turnover prediction accuracy to 82%.

Statistic 107

56% lower turnover in firms with clear succession plans.

Statistic 108

Female engineer turnover 20% higher than males.

Statistic 109

37% turnover from lack of challenging projects.

Statistic 110

Alumni networks rehire 15% of ex-employees.

Statistic 111

73% of engineers received training hours averaging 45/year.

Statistic 112

82% of firms budget $2,500 per engineer for professional development.

Statistic 113

Leadership training covered 58% of mid-level engineers.

Statistic 114

Online certifications completed by 67% boosted promotions 20%.

Statistic 115

49% use VR for technical skills training in engineering.

Statistic 116

Mentorship pairs assigned to 71% of new hires.

Statistic 117

64% ROI from upskilling programs in productivity.

Statistic 118

Soft skills training attended by 55% annually.

Statistic 119

76% firms have individualized development plans.

Statistic 120

AI/ML training demand up 40% for engineers.

Statistic 121

Cross-functional training reduced silos by 33%.

Statistic 122

52% budget increased 15% for L&D post-pandemic.

Statistic 123

Microlearning modules used by 68% for just-in-time training.

Statistic 124

61% track training effectiveness via KPIs.

Statistic 125

Women in engineering training programs up 25%.

Statistic 126

47% offer sabbaticals after 5 years for development.

Statistic 127

Simulation-based training improved safety compliance 29%.

Statistic 128

70% complete compliance training annually.

Statistic 129

Peer-to-peer learning platforms adopted by 59%.

Statistic 130

38% increase in agile methodology certifications.

Statistic 131

Executive coaching for 22% of senior engineers.

Statistic 132

65% use gamification in training, engagement up 50%.

Statistic 133

Diversity training mandatory for 44% of staff.

Statistic 134

53% ROI on sustainability training initiatives.

Statistic 135

Hackathons for skill dev attended by 62%.

Statistic 136

74% have succession training pipelines.

1/136

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Amidst a hiring landscape where 68% of engineering companies struggle to find qualified mechanical engineers and the time to hire an electrical engineer has ballooned to 62 days, the role of HR has become the industry's most critical design challenge.

Key Takeaways

In 2023, 68% of engineering companies reported challenges in sourcing qualified mechanical engineers due to skill shortages.
Engineering firms saw a 45% increase in time-to-hire for electrical engineers from 2021 to 2023, averaging 62 days.
72% of HR leaders in engineering cited competition from tech giants as the top barrier to hiring civil engineers.
Women hold 28% of engineering roles industry-wide as of 2023.
Ethnic minorities represent 24% of the engineering workforce in 2023.
15% increase in LGBTQ+ engineers hired since 2020 in major firms.
Engineering turnover rate averaged 14.2% in 2023.
42% of engineers cited work-life balance as top retention factor.
Voluntary turnover in engineering firms was 11.8% for mid-level roles.
Average engineering salary increased 5.2% in 2023 to $112,000.
78% of engineering firms offer 401(k) matching at 4-6%.
Bonus pay averaged 12% of base for senior engineers.
73% of engineers received training hours averaging 45/year.
82% of firms budget $2,500 per engineer for professional development.
Leadership training covered 58% of mid-level engineers.

Engineering HR faces talent shortages, hiring delays, fierce competition, and a strong reliance on referrals and AI tools.

Compensation and Benefits

Average engineering salary increased 5.2% in 2023 to $112,000.
78% of engineering firms offer 401(k) matching at 4-6%.
Bonus pay averaged 12% of base for senior engineers.
Health insurance premiums covered 85% by employers.
Equity grants in engineering startups averaged 0.5% vesting over 4 years.
PTO averaged 20 days plus 10 holidays for engineers.
62% offer tuition reimbursement up to $5,250/year.
Overtime pay for exempt engineers at 1.5x after 40 hours.
Relocation packages averaged $15,000 for engineers.
55% have profit-sharing plans distributing 3-5%.
Gender pay parity achieved in 43% of engineering firms.
HSAs funded 50% by employers averaging $1,200.
71% provide gym memberships or wellness stipends $500/year.
Long-term disability coverage at 60% salary replacement.
48% offer student loan repayment up to $2,000/year.
Commuter benefits averaged $300/month tax-free.
66% have parental leave at 12 weeks paid.
Performance incentives tied to 15% variable pay.
52% increased salaries 6% due to inflation in 2023.
Life insurance 2x salary standard in engineering.
59% offer mental health days as benefit.
Pet insurance adopted by 23% of firms.
67% have annual compensation reviews.
Severance averages 2 weeks per year served.
44% provide childcare subsidies $4,000/year.
Total rewards packages valued at 30% above base pay.

Compensation and Benefits Interpretation

The engineering talent feast is lavish, though the table settings reveal a few missing forks, most notably the one meant for equal pay.

Diversity and Inclusion

Women hold 28% of engineering roles industry-wide as of 2023.
Ethnic minorities represent 24% of the engineering workforce in 2023.
15% increase in LGBTQ+ engineers hired since 2020 in major firms.
Only 12% of senior engineering leadership is female in 2023.
37% of engineering firms have DEI training programs mandatory in 2023.
Black engineers make up 5.5% of the total workforce in 2023.
Hispanic/Latino engineers increased to 9% from 7% in five years.
22% of engineering internships went to underrepresented minorities in 2023.
Gender pay gap in engineering stands at 18% favoring men in 2023.
41% of firms track DEI metrics quarterly in engineering HR.
Asian engineers comprise 19% but face bamboo ceiling in promotions.
Disability disclosure in engineering hiring rose to 4% in 2023.
29% improvement in diverse team innovation metrics in engineering.
63% of engineering leaders support blind resume screening for DEI.
Veteran hiring in engineering reached 8% of new hires in 2023.
51% of firms have ERGs for women in engineering.
Intersectional DEI programs cover 34% of engineering companies.
Retention of diverse engineers improved 12% with mentorship.
17% of engineering patents from diverse teams in 2023.
Age diversity: under 30s are 28%, over 50s 22% in engineering.
Neurodiversity hiring initiatives in 19% of tech-engineering firms.
45% of DEI budgets increased 20% YoY in engineering HR.
Inclusive culture scores 25% higher in diverse engineering teams.
33% of firms audit for bias in engineering promotions.
Indigenous engineers represent 1.2% with targeted programs growing.
56% employee satisfaction boost from DEI efforts in engineering.
Engineering turnover for minorities dropped 9% with DEI focus.
27% of board seats targeted for diversity in engineering corps.

Diversity and Inclusion Interpretation

The data paints a picture of a profession that has, by and large, designed a bridge to a more diverse future but is still issuing hard hats at a frustratingly slow pace as if the construction elevator keeps breaking down.

Recruitment and Hiring

In 2023, 68% of engineering companies reported challenges in sourcing qualified mechanical engineers due to skill shortages.
Engineering firms saw a 45% increase in time-to-hire for electrical engineers from 2021 to 2023, averaging 62 days.
72% of HR leaders in engineering cited competition from tech giants as the top barrier to hiring civil engineers.
Only 34% of engineering job postings received over 50 applications in 2023, down from 52% in 2019.
55% of engineering recruiters used AI tools for resume screening in 2023, improving match rates by 28%.
Campus hiring for chemical engineers dropped 19% in 2023 due to remote work preferences.
61% of engineering firms offered signing bonuses averaging $12,000 for software engineers in 2023.
Diversity hiring goals were met by only 27% of engineering companies for women in STEM roles in 2023.
Referrals accounted for 41% of hires in engineering firms, highest among all industries.
76% of engineering HR reported needing more data scientists, with 90% vacancy fill rate challenge.
Average cost-per-hire for aerospace engineers reached $18,500 in 2023.
49% of engineering postings required hybrid work, reducing applicant pools by 33%.
Engineering intern conversion to full-time hires was 67% in top firms in 2023.
58% of HR in engineering used LinkedIn for 80% of sourcing in 2023.
Skill mismatch affected 63% of rejected engineering candidates in 2023.
Female representation in engineering hiring pipelines was 22% in 2023.
71% of engineering firms increased recruiter headcount by 15% in 2023.
ATS adoption in engineering HR rose to 89%, cutting screening time by 40%.
52% of engineering hires were internal promotions in large firms in 2023.
Video interviews were used by 82% of engineering recruiters, speeding hires by 25%.
64% of engineering companies struggled with hiring biomedical engineers due to regulatory skills gap.
Offer acceptance rate for industrial engineers was 78% with relocation support.
59% of HR reported ghosting by candidates at 30% rate in engineering.
Engineering firms saw 38% YoY increase in demand for sustainability engineers.
67% of hires in engineering required upskilling interviews in 2023.
Passive candidate sourcing via networks yielded 55% better quality hires.
73% of engineering HR used employer branding to attract 25% more applicants.
Time-to-fill for petroleum engineers averaged 85 days in 2023.
44% of engineering job offers included equity compensation to compete.
69% of recruiters prioritized soft skills in engineering hires equally with technical.

Recruitment and Hiring Interpretation

The engineering industry is caught in a paradox where advanced AI and signing bonuses are deployed to solve a talent shortage, yet traditional hurdles like skill gaps, hybrid work hesitancy, and fierce competition mean firms are often brilliantly navigating a race they can't seem to win.

Retention and Turnover

Engineering turnover rate averaged 14.2% in 2023.
42% of engineers cited work-life balance as top retention factor.
Voluntary turnover in engineering firms was 11.8% for mid-level roles.
67% of departing engineers joined competitors for better pay.
Retention bonuses retained 78% of critical engineering talent.
Average tenure for software engineers is 2.8 years in 2023.
55% of HR linked turnover to lack of career progression.
Engineering firms with flex hours saw 22% lower turnover.
31% turnover reduction via employee engagement surveys.
Cost of turnover per engineer averaged $75,000 in 2023.
49% of engineers plan to leave within 2 years per surveys.
Mentorship programs cut junior engineer turnover by 35%.
Remote work increased retention by 18% in engineering teams.
Exit interviews revealed burnout in 53% of engineering departures.
64% retention rate boost from internal mobility programs.
High performers turnover 9.5%, costing 3x more to replace.
72% of firms use stay interviews quarterly for retention.
Turnover spiked 28% post-promotion denials in engineering.
Wellness programs reduced turnover by 16% in engineering.
41% of turnover linked to poor manager relationships.
Engineering tenure rose 0.5 years with hybrid models.
Predictive analytics cut turnover prediction accuracy to 82%.
56% lower turnover in firms with clear succession plans.
Female engineer turnover 20% higher than males.
37% turnover from lack of challenging projects.
Alumni networks rehire 15% of ex-employees.

Retention and Turnover Interpretation

The data paints a starkly clear picture: engineering firms are hemorrhaging talent and money, not because of a mysterious industry curse, but largely because they keep ignoring the very human needs for balance, growth, and respect that their own exit interviews and surveys keep screaming about.

Training and Development

73% of engineers received training hours averaging 45/year.
82% of firms budget $2,500 per engineer for professional development.
Leadership training covered 58% of mid-level engineers.
Online certifications completed by 67% boosted promotions 20%.
49% use VR for technical skills training in engineering.
Mentorship pairs assigned to 71% of new hires.
64% ROI from upskilling programs in productivity.
Soft skills training attended by 55% annually.
76% firms have individualized development plans.
AI/ML training demand up 40% for engineers.
Cross-functional training reduced silos by 33%.
52% budget increased 15% for L&D post-pandemic.
Microlearning modules used by 68% for just-in-time training.
61% track training effectiveness via KPIs.
Women in engineering training programs up 25%.
47% offer sabbaticals after 5 years for development.
Simulation-based training improved safety compliance 29%.
70% complete compliance training annually.
Peer-to-peer learning platforms adopted by 59%.
38% increase in agile methodology certifications.
Executive coaching for 22% of senior engineers.
65% use gamification in training, engagement up 50%.
Diversity training mandatory for 44% of staff.
53% ROI on sustainability training initiatives.
Hackathons for skill dev attended by 62%.
74% have succession training pipelines.

Training and Development Interpretation

In the relentless pursuit of innovation, the engineering industry’s training ethos is a paradox of quantified soul: where 73% of engineers dutifully log their 45 annual training hours, 82% of firms allocate a hopeful $2,500 for their development, and while AI course demand soars by 40%, a heartening 71% of new hires are still ushered in with a mentor, proving that even in a data-driven world, human guidance and a gamified hackathon remain the secret wiring behind a 20% boost in promotions and a 33% reduction in corporate silos.

Sources & References

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