According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), engineering graduates earn the highest paychecks straight out of school.

Petroleum engineers topped the list with an average starting salary of more than $83,000. Next on the list were: chemical engineers ($64,000+), mining engineers ($64,000+) and computer engineers ($61,000+).

"Many of the engineering disciplines benefit from an imbalance in the supply/demand ratio," says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. "Even in a tight job market, there are simply more opportunities requiring an engineering degree than graduates available to fill those positions. That drives salaries up."

For Clark School of engineering students who graduated in May of this year, computer and electrical engineering graduates actually earned more than chemical engineering graduates, said Heidi Sauber, director of the Clark School's Co-op and Career Services Office. She said there were more job opportunities in electrical and computer engineering than in any other engineering major.