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Electrical & Electronics Engineer

Overview and Key Facts

electrical engineer
Education
Education
Bachelor's degree
Median Pay
Median Pay
$111,910
Job Growth
Job Growth
7.20%
(Above US Average)
Jobs in 2034
Jobs in 2034
205,700

What Do They Do?

An electrical and electronics engineer could...

 
skyscraper
Develop construction plans for a skyscraper's electrical lighting system.
remote controlled race car
Design a remote-controlled toy race car.
doctor adjusting hearing aid on patient
Help someone with a hearing impairment hear for the first time by designing circuitry in novel hearing aid solutions.
car production line
Design the electrical system for a factory robot that can weld a car.
 
skyscraper remote controlled race car doctor adjusting hearing aid on patient car production line

Overview Listen to this section

Just as a potter forms clay, or a steel worker molds molten steel, electrical and electronics engineers gather and shape electricity and use it to make products that transmit power or transmit information. Electrical and electronics engineers may specialize in one of the millions of products that make or use electricity, like cell phones, electric motors, microwaves, medical instruments, airline navigation system, or handheld games.
Watch this video to get an idea of the many different areas that electrical engineers can work in and what they do to get there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqlN1L4BG6I

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of an Electrical & Electronics Engineer?


  1. Writing: ?
  2. Reading Comprehension: ?
  3. Critical Thinking: ?
  4. Active Listening: ?
  5. Complex Problem Solving: ?
More skills...

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks an Electrical & Electronics Engineer might do:
  • Design, implement, maintain, or improve electrical instruments, equipment, facilities, components, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, or domestic purposes.
  • Oversee project production efforts to assure projects are completed on time and within budget.
  • Direct or coordinate manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, support, documentation, or testing activities to ensure compliance with specifications, codes, or customer requirements.
  • Perform detailed calculations to compute and establish manufacturing, construction, or installation standards or specifications.
  • Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform engineering tasks.
  • Confer with engineers, customers, or others to discuss existing or potential engineering projects or products.
  • Investigate or test vendors' or competitors' products.
  • Inspect completed installations and observe operations to ensure conformance to design and equipment specifications and compliance with operational, safety, or environmental standards.
  • Investigate customer or public complaints to determine the nature and extent of problems.
  • Prepare technical drawings, specifications of electrical systems, or topographical maps to ensure that installation and operations conform to standards and customer requirements.
  • Compile data and write reports regarding existing or potential electrical engineering studies or projects.
  • Prepare specifications for purchases of materials or equipment.
  • Estimate labor, material, or construction costs for budget preparation purposes.
  • Plan or implement research methodology or procedures to apply principles of electrical theory to engineering projects.
  • Supervise or train project team members, as necessary.
  • Assist in developing capital project programs for new equipment or major repairs.

Salary & Job Openings

Median Salary (Yearly Pay)

Tap or scroll over map to see median salaries for each state

Future Jobs

Blast-Off:

How Will Electrical & Electronics Engineer Jobs Grow by 2034?
Projected % Growth
Rapid growth
(10% or higher)
Much faster than average
(7% - 10%)
Faster than average
(5% - 7%)
About as fast as average
(3% - 5%)
Slower than average
(0% - 3%)
Decreasing
Average of all U.S. jobs (5.3%)
Electrical & Electronics Engineer jobs (7.20%)
Source: https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm

Steps to Get There: Becoming an Electrical & Electronics Engineer

High School Subjects to Study

Aim to study the yellow-shaded subjects.
Math
Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2
Pre-Calculus
Calculus
Statistics
Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Environmental Science
Physiology
Bio-Medical / Biotech
IT &
Engineering
Computer Science
Applied Technology
Drafting & CAD Training
Core
English
Foreign Language
Business
Psychology / Sociology

Career Pathway Listen to this section

Electrical and electronics engineers typically enter the occupation with a bachelor's degree in an engineering specialty, but some basic research positions may require a graduate degree. Engineers offering their services directly to the public must be licensed. Continuing education to keep current with rapidly changing technology is important for engineers.

Education- Typical Degree Needed After High School Listen to this section

Degree
Post
high school credential
AA
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctoral or Professional Degree

Typical degree for an entry-level position: Bachelor's degree ? Types of Degrees and Credentials

Typically electrical and electronics engineers have earned a Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering in areas that include electronics, electrical engineering, or computer engineering. A junior engineer may spend the first year or two on the job learning the company's products and design procedures before choosing a technical specialty. Job responsibilities include specification, design, development, and implementation of products or systems, as well as research to create new ideas. This role provides a number of challenges ranging from problem identification and the selection of appropriate technical solutions, materials, test equipment, and procedures, to the manufacture and production of safe, economical, high-performance products and services.

An electrical engineer may choose to couple the technical aspects of a position with management responsibilities. The technical expertise required for management today is increasing because of the explosion of knowledge in engineering, technology, and science.

A Bachelor of Science degree in engineering with a specialty in electrical engineering may also serve as a starting point for careers in many other diverse fields, ranging from business to law, medicine, and politics, since the problem-solving skills acquired in an electrical engineering program provide an extraordinarily valuable asset. The same skills will equip you to assume leadership roles in your community and in professional circles outside the workplace.

In addition to the primary fields of electrical, electronics, and computer engineering, a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering serves as an appropriate base for several allied fields. These include, for example, biomedical engineering, computer science, and aerospace engineering.

Companies That Hire Electrical & Electronics Engineers

Try it Out with an Activity or Project

STEM Activities

STEM activities are fun hands-on explorations that usually take from 10 minutes to one hour and use readily available household or classroom materials while introducing you to STEM concepts common in this career.

Science Project Ideas

Project Ideas are in-depth STEM explorations that have a strong focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data suitable for investigating the scientific method or the engineering design process.

On the Job

Role Models

Meet electrical and electronics engineer Vince Reinhardt, who develops electronics equipment for entertainment and communications at Motorola, Inc.
I make and draw electronics equipment that gets built in large quantities to be used for entertainment and communication all over the world. Hopefully at the end of the day I make someone's life a little brighter, happier, and easier. 
Vince Reinhardt, Electrical Enginer
Read a profile of Fang Luo, a professor, who is researching semiconductors to make electronic devices smaller and more efficient.
It’s not like you’re trying to improve theories just by playing with equations. You can still play with equations, but you get to use this knowledge to see how it can benefit society. 
Fang Luo, Ph.D.
Read an interview with a professional electrical engineer, Tiffany Ann Clute, who is designing the electrical system for a 427-ft.-tall building!
As the electrical engineer, my responsibility is to determine how we get power from the utility vault all the way to the top of the building. 
Tiffany Ann Clute, P.E.

Nature of the Work

Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment. Some of this equipment includes electric motors; machinery controls, lighting, and wiring in buildings; automobiles; aircraft; radar and navigation systems; and power generation, control, and transmission devices used by electric utilities. Although the terms electrical and electronics engineering often are used interchangeably in academia and industry, electrical engineers have traditionally focused on the generation and supply of power; whereas electronics engineers have worked on applications of electricity to control systems or signal processing. Electrical engineers specialize in areas such as power systems engineering or electrical equipment manufacturing.

Electronics engineers, except computer, are responsible for a wide range of technologies, from portable music players to the global positioning system (GPS), which can continuously provide the location of, for example, a vehicle. Electronics engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications systems. Many electronics engineers also work in areas closely related to computers. However, engineers whose work is related exclusively to computer hardware are considered computer hardware engineers. Electronics engineers specialize in areas such as communications, signal processing, and control systems, or have a specialty within one of these areas; for example, control systems or aviation electronics.

Work Environment

Most electrical and electronics engineers work in office buildings, laboratories, or industrial plants. Some engineers travel extensively to plants or work sites, both here and abroad.

Many engineers work a standard 40-hour week. At times, deadlines or design standards may bring extra pressure to a job, requiring engineers to work longer hours.

More Information

Ask Questions

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Additional Resources

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