A state with 10 million people that now ranks 9th-largest in the country has a growing demand for engineers, NC State University Chancellor Randy Woodson says in the accompanying video.

As state legislators ponder whether to provide $77 million in bonds for a new engineering building at NC State, roads and infrastructure demand civil engineers. An emerging electronics industry demands electrical and computer engineers. And an aging population demands “replacement parts” for human bodies designed by biomedical engineers, Woodson says.

As a result, those engineering graduates command strong starting salaries with their bachelor’s degrees.