Also called: Product Engineer (sporting goods)
Engineers sports gear like golf clubs, helmets, balls, and bikes to perform better and keep athletes safe.
They test helmets with impact machines, use wind tunnels to design faster cycling gear, and tweak golf club faces for distance. Lab testing, CAD design, and athlete feedback fill the week.
Based on BLS mechanical engineers, May 2024 estimates.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in mechanical, materials, or biomedical engineering.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering.
Growing much faster than average (about 9% over 10 years). Much-faster-than-average growth for mechanical engineers.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Simulation and AI speed design of clubs, helmets and balls; prototyping and real-world testing stay human.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, Engineering or CAD CTE.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2141.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.