What Can You Do with an Electrical Engineering Degree?

A degree in electrical engineering offers you excellent and diverse career opportunities. In this field, it is pivotal to know what career options are available based on your degree. This article discusses the best jobs for electrical engineering majors, their average salaries, and tips on how to get those jobs.

What Is an Electrical Engineering Major?

An electrical engineering major incorporates mathematical, scientific, computing, and technological principles to teach students to build, design, and test electrical and electronic equipment. Areas of expertise in this field include transportation, lighting and wiring systems, power transmission, and other systems that apply electricity.

How to Become an Electrical Engineer: Electrical Engineering Education Options 

There are various electrical engineering education options to choose from to hone your skills and capabilities and find suitable jobs. You can aim for a two-year associate degree, a 4-year bachelor’s, and even pursue a master’s degree if you want to dive deeper into a technical specialty.

Electrical Engineering Associate Degree 

Associate degrees in electrical engineering usually take up to 2 years and require a total of 60 credits. Graduates of this type of electrical engineering program can obtain entry-level technician jobs, including electrical installations. If you are a professional with this degree, you can pursue manufacturing and related careers.

Best Associate Degree Programs in Electrical Engineering

• Electrical Engineering Technology Associate Degree – Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
• Associate of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering Technology – Lorain County Community College
• Associate of Applied Science in Electrical Systems Technology – Central Carolina Community College
• Associate of Electrical/Computer Engineering – Rose State College
• Associate of Electrical Construction and Planning – Coyne College 

Electrical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree

Gaining a bachelor’s degree as an electrical engineering major generally takes 3 to 5 years, and is ideal if you intend to earn an engineering doctoral degree. Students specialize in developing, conceptualizing, and designing electrical energy that is safe, economical, and ethical.

Electrical engineering graduates also study a broad spectrum of topics, including electrical machines, transformers, electrical components, and generators. These programs teach all the fundamentals of engineering to ensure students have access to a variety of engineering fields. 

Best Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Electrical Engineering

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering – Georgia Institute of Technology’ Electrical & Computer Engineering School
• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering – Princeton University
• Bachelor of Science Electrical and Computer Engineering – Duke University
• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering – California Institute of Technology’s Electrical Engineering Department
• Bachelor of Electrical and Systems Engineering – University of Pennsylvania

Electrical Engineering Master’s Degree 

A master’s degree in electrical engineering trains individuals for specialized and supervisory positions in the workplace. Graduate schools that offer an advanced engineering degree develop new technologies and contribute research to the field. A master’s degree in this field can help you work in the telecommunication industry and design and innovate electrical and communications systems.

Best Master’s Degree Programs in Electrical Engineering

• Master of Science in Electrical Engineering – Arizona State University
• Master of Science in Electrical Engineering – Stanford University
• Master of Engineering – University of California – Berkeley
• Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering – Georgia Institute of Technology
• Master of Engineering – University of Illinois

Electrical Engineering Career Overview: Is an Electrical Engineering Career Worth It?

Electrical Engineering Job Outlook

The job outlook for electrical engineering is 7 percent, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This is the average growth rate for all professions in the US. According to the same report by BLS, there are projected to be 22,700 electrical engineering job openings each year. However, the job growth will look different depending on the specific field you enter.

Electrical Engineering Salaries

According to BLS, the annual median salary of an electrical engineer is $100,830. The lowest 10 percent of professionals earned less than $64,870, and the highest 10 percent earned $159,520. This shows that electrical engineers can earn high salaries. Similar to job outlook, salary data will vary depending on the job. 

Best Jobs for Electrical Engineering Majors: What Can You Do With an Electrical Engineering Degree?

Electrical engineering students can apply their skills in a wide range of fields including civil and mechanical engineering, software development, aerospace, and the automotive industry. Additionally, their skills are applicable in diverse work environments, such as government firms, manufacturing facilities, engineering firms, and even in medical and military sectors.

Best Jobs for Electrical Engineering Associate Degree Majors

Electrical Design Technician

• Average Salary: $52,051
• Job Outlook: two percent* 

An electrical design technician must have hands-on experience working with electrical diagrams and building layouts for various electrical systems. They work for engineering companies to review electrical engineering plans and come up with specifications for electrical systems to establish coding requirements.

In this job, you will help electrical engineers design and develop computers and equipment essential for communications systems. You will also monitor devices that are in use. Some of the top skills for an electrical design technician include good communication and electrical design skills, a strong background in mathematics, and troubleshooting skills. 

Electrical Installer/Repairer

• Average Salary: $43,986
• Job Outlook: two percent

Once you understand electrical engineering design principles, you can provide engineering services to the general public as an electrical installer. Generally, primary roles include inspecting, testing, and repairing electrical power, control, lighting, and communications systems. They are also responsible for isolating and diagnosing problem areas in a system. 

Electrical Engineering Technician

• Average Salary: $52,936
• Job Outlook: two percent

These experts assist electrical engineers in designing, developing, and building electrical projects for electric power generation. They have specialized skills in testing, repairing, and designing electronic circuits, and have computer software and programming knowledge. Many industries, including the federal government and oil and gas companies, hire and train electrical engineering technicians.

Electro-mechanical Technician

• Average Salary: $47,312
• Job Outlook: two percent*

An electro-mechanical technician is equipped with mechanical technology knowledge and knows how to work with electrical and electronic circuits. They are responsible for operating, testing, and maintaining robotic or electro-mechanical equipment. These experts help electrical engineers design and build electronic components, communications systems, aerospace equipment, and computers.

Manufacturing Technician

• Average Salary: $36,998
• Job Outlook: two percent*

As a manufacturing technician, you are responsible for operating production equipment, building and assembling components, and performing product quality checks. In addition, you’ll be in charge of creating logs and reports showing production results. 

A manufacturing technician must have good numerical and computer skills, good attention to detail, and the engineering expertise to be able to keep an eye out for machine malfunctions. They can work in the production of cars, airplanes, computers, communications systems, and more.

*Job outlook information from BLS report on electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Best Jobs for Electrical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Majors

Computer Hardware Engineer

• Average Salary: $119,560
• Job Outlook: two percent

Computer hardware engineers often collaborate with software engineers as this career involves designing and building new types of information technology devices. Specifically, they create blueprints, update existing computer equipment, and oversee the manufacturing process. These experts determine the problems in computer systems and develop sustainable solutions. 

Aerospace Engineer

• Average Salary: $118,610
• Job Outlook: eight percent

If you are into flight systems, then this job might be for you. An aerospace engineer develops advanced technologies such as aircraft, satellites, and spacecraft. They incorporate them into aerospace vehicles used for transportation, exploration, defense, and communications systems. They also engineer and test aircraft technological products to ensure that they function as designed.

Software Engineer

• Average Salary: $110,140
• Job Outlook: 22 percent

An electrical engineering major can make a shift and learn software engineering, which is a highly in-demand field nowadays. Software engineers utilize code in the creation of software development and programs. Moreover, they acquire high knowledge of computer operations and apply engineering principles to their output.

Software design engineers can create and develop control systems, including electronic components like portable music players. They can also work developing middleware, computer games, network control and communications systems, artificial intelligence, electronic devices, and navigation systems.

Equipment Engineer

• Average Salary: $70,090
• Job Outlook: seven percent

An equipment engineer is concerned with developing services and enhancing and designing electrical equipment and devices like power grids and power generation systems. They are also in charge of troubleshooting and repairing these systems if there are any issues. Additionally, they install and replace attachments, conduct regular maintenance checks, and inspect and test new systems.

Biotech Consultant

• Average Salary: $46,340
• Job Outlook: seven percent

Biotech consultants are responsible for advising companies about the newest trends in biotech and which technologies to specialize in. They inform clients on strategies for implementing biotechnologies and biomedical engineering. They also contribute to developing company operations and build efficient systems based on their professional experiences.

Best Jobs for Electrical Engineering Master’s Degree Majors

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Engineering Group Manager  

• Average Salary: $149,530
• Job Outlook: four percent

Like other project managers, an engineering manager oversees tasks and projects, proposes budgets for potential projects, and offers training and guidance to new employees. They also solve technical issues, break down structures, prepare reports for various engineering activities, and answer technical questions. 

Senior Electrical Engineer 

• Average Salary: $100,830
• Job Outlook: seven percent

A senior electrical engineer has a vital role in designing, upgrading, and monitoring electrical equipment and machinery. This job for electrical engineering majors involves supervising other engineers, compiling regular logs and reports, and training new apprentices. 

They manage budgets, schedules, and other essential documents. These professionals work in industries that deal with small and large-scale electrical systems, including power transmission, power generation equipment, renewable energy, communication systems, and mobile networking.

Test Engineer  

• Average Salary: $86,614
• Job Outlook: seven percent*

Test engineers mainly check mechanical and electrical systems to ensure there are no faults or defects in the equipment. They are also responsible for assessing codes, preparing files and reports, and collaborating with firmware developers and engineers. A test engineer needs to be a critical thinker, an effective problem solver, and have a deep understanding of power engineering systems.

Instrumentation and Electrical Reliability Engineer 

• Average Salary: $107,499
• Job Outlook: seven percent* 

The primary duty of this professional engineer is directing the electrical and instrumentation departments’ reliability and training initiatives. They also design and implement electrical devices and products for commercial or domestic purposes. Other daily responsibilities include directing industrial production activities and operating computer systems.

Power Systems Engineer 

• Average Salary: $90,015
• Job Outlook: seven percent*

A power systems engineer specializes in providing power systems design, develops collection systems such as cable routing and sizing, and focuses on system studies like interconnections and grounding systems. 

This career path is essential to various industries, including wind turbine manufacturing, electric utility companies, and wind developers. To be successful in this job, they must possess project management, analytical, and communication skills.

*Job outlook information from BLS report on electrical and electronic engineers.

Three Final Tips to Get a Job in Electrical Engineering

1. Stay up to date in your field. Even though there are several electrical engineering career opportunities, the field can be competitive. Taking online courses, and attending conferences is an excellent way to stay updated and show your commitment when applying to jobs.
2. Make sure to network. As the field gets more competitive, you need all the help you can get. Building a solid network of professionals in your field can help you find opportunities for growth that are not available through traditional channels.
3. Prepare and trust in yourself. You will need to be mentally and physically ready to embark on a job hunt. Make sure you trust your own skills and expertise, and show up with confidence to your electrical engineering job interviews. 

Like other careers, pursuing a position in electrical engineering is not always easy, but if you achieve the right level of education and develop essential common skills you have a good chance of success. Experts in this field have opportunities for career growth and can earn high annual wages, especially if they earn a four-year degree.

Electrical engineering jobs are perfect for individuals interested in technological innovation, electronic systems, or electrical circuits. Use this guide to help you map out your career goals and pursue relevant programs that will bring you closer to your goals.