Engineering is a field that has job openings across the country, and many companies, large and small, are offering starting salaries for bachelor’s degree students that are much higher than average across all fields. An education in engineering is not cheap, however, especially if you attend a top engineering school. One of the best ways to pay for your engineering degree is through engineering scholarships.

Scholarships are a great source for money for college because you don’t have to repay them when you graduate, like you do with student loans. Most scholarships are based on merit, and are given to students who write a scholarship essay, show great talent or skill in a certain area, or uphold specific academic standards. Scholarships may also take into account things like gender, race, family military service, financial need, and more. In short, there are scholarships available for every student out there; you just have to find them and apply!

A number of organizations and companies offer scholarships specifically for engineering students. These include the following:

• American Institute of Chemical Engineers
• American Radio Relay League Foundation
• American Society for Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers
• American Society for Mechanical Engineers
• American Society of Civil Engineers
• American Society of Naval Engineers
• ASCO Numatics
• Association for Iron and Steel Technology Foundation
• Association for Women in Science
• Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation
• Clifford H. Rees Scholarship Foundation
• Foundation for Water and Energy Education
• Haestad Methods Engineering
• Institute for Industrial Engineers
• Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association
• National Society of Professional Engineers
• Society of Woman Engineers
• The Wire Reinforcement Institute Education Foundation

This is not by far an exhaustive list of sources for private scholarships. In addition, however, students can also look to organizations that offer scholarships to students regardless of education major. Local organizations like churches, scouting programs, youth groups, community groups, and high school clubs often have scholarships available for all students.

Your college will typically also have scholarship opportunities for students. Most offer large scholarships based on your academic achievements in high school or your standardized test scores. They may also have scholarships for students who excel in sports, music or dance, art, and other fields. All you have to do to be eligible for these scholarships is apply, as they are non-competitive in most cases. Schools may offer additional competitive scholarships where you have to write a scholarship essay or be interviewed by a scholarship committee.

Don’t forget to also talk to the dean of your school’s engineering department for additional scholarship information. While the financial aid office can help you learn about general scholarships, specific college departments often have more information about local and state scholarships available just for engineering students through organizations and alumni.