An electrical engineering degree qualifies you for a broad family of design, testing, and systems jobs in power, electronics, communications, controls, chips, and embedded devices. In the United States, a bachelor’s degree is the usual entry point, and most people start in an engineering role rather than a single fixed job title. The pay figures below are U.S. data, and they describe groups of workers, not what any one graduate will earn.
The main career paths
The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes electrical and electronics engineers as people who design, develop, and test electrical and electronic equipment, components, and systems. Day to day, that means defining system requirements, building models and layouts in design software, testing reliability and safety, supporting manufacturing or construction, writing technical documentation, and judging whether a system needs changes or repair. The specialty you pick determines which of those tasks dominates.
| Specialty | Typical work | Example job titles | Where it shows up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric power | Generators, motors, power generation, grid interconnection, turbine electrical systems | Power systems engineer, transmission engineer, project engineer | Electric power generation, transmission and distribution; wind energy (per the Department of Energy career map) |
| Communications and radar | Communications systems, radar and navigation systems | Systems engineer | Telecommunications, aerospace, defense |
| Controls | Control systems for equipment and processes | Controls engineer | Instrument and control-equipment manufacturing, industrial automation |
| Electronics and embedded systems | Components and circuitry for consumer products, audio-visual systems, radar, and sonar | Embedded systems engineer, hardware engineer | Consumer products, manufacturing, federal government |
| Chips and integrated circuits | Designing integrated circuits | IC design engineer | Semiconductor and electronic-component manufacturing |
| Robotics and AI hardware | Sensors, robotics, and AI hardware systems | Robotics engineer, AI engineer | Named as applications in Penn State’s program bulletin; employer-specific detail not stated |
| Test, design, and manufacturing | Testing equipment, designing products, and production engineering | Test engineer, design engineer, manufacturing engineer | Manufacturing; sector breakdown not stated for these titles |
| Field service and public utilities | Field operations and utility systems | Field service engineer, public utilities engineer | Utilities and operations; listed by Portland State University’s career guide |
Job titles vary by employer. The examples above come from program-level outcome lists at Rochester Institute of Technology, Penn State, and Portland State University, which show what graduates have been hired into. Those lists are illustrations, not guarantees that every graduate qualifies for each role, and Portland State states that its list does not indicate current openings. The RIT graduate outcomes page, the Penn State program bulletin, and the Portland State career guide each list titles in their own way.
Where electrical engineers work
The BLS names several major employers for electrical engineers:
- Engineering services
- Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution
- Research and development
- Instrument and control-equipment manufacturing
- Aerospace manufacturing
Electronics engineers also work in federal government, telecommunications, semiconductor and electronic-component manufacturing, engineering services, and instrument manufacturing. Most work is office-based with occasional travel to project sites, and most engineers work full time.
What the degree requires and what it does not
The bachelor’s degree
For U.S. electrical and electronics engineering roles, a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or a related engineering field is the typical entry requirement. Employers look for practical experience as well, which is why internships and cooperative education placements matter. Some employers prefer a master’s degree, but the BLS profile does not present it as a general requirement for entry.
Graduate study
Penn State notes that graduates may pursue master’s or doctoral study in electrical engineering or related fields, with routes into research labs and higher education. Its bulletin also names medicine, law, and business study as options for graduates interested in medical imaging, patent law, or engineering management. Graduate study adds time and cost, so it is worth tying to a specific career goal rather than treating it as a default next step.
Licensure
The BLS states that licensure is not required for entry-level electrical and electronics engineer positions. Experienced engineers may later pursue a Professional Engineer (PE) license. The typical state route includes an engineering degree, passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, relevant work experience, and passing the PE exam. Requirements differ by state, and the license matters most for work that carries public-facing responsibility. Check your state engineering board before planning around it.
Reading the pay numbers
The figures below come from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and from one university’s graduate outcomes. They measure different populations, so they should not be compared as if they were the same kind of number.
| Measure | Value | Population and source |
|---|---|---|
| Annual median wage, electrical engineers | $120,630 | U.S. workers in this occupation, May 2025, BLS |
| Annual median wage, electronics engineers, except computer | $130,220 | U.S. workers in this occupation, May 2025, BLS |
| First-year full-time salary, average | $78,700 | Class of 2025 bachelor’s graduates in electrical engineering at RIT only |
| First-year full-time salary, median | $80,000 | Class of 2025 bachelor’s graduates in electrical engineering at RIT only |
An occupational median is the midpoint for experienced workers across the whole occupation, which includes people with many years in the field. It is not a starting offer. The RIT figures are closer to starting pay, but they reflect one school’s graduates and one graduating class, so they do not stand in for a national entry-level figure. The BLS does not provide a global wage comparison, and the figures above apply to the United States only.
Rank #4
Outlook from 2025 to 2035
The BLS projects the following for 2025 to 2035:
- Electrical engineers: 10% employment growth
- Electronics engineers, except computer: 4% employment growth
- The combined occupational group: 8% projected growth, with about 16,300 openings a year on average
Openings include workers leaving the occupation as well as new positions, so the annual figure reflects turnover and growth together. Growth rates describe the occupation as a whole, not a guarantee of demand in any one region or industry.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A practical way to weigh your options
Because no source ranks the specialties, the useful comparison is personal. These steps help turn the facts above into a money decision:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsBest Value
- Choose a specialty by interest and daily work. Decide whether you want design, testing, manufacturing, research, or field and project work, and whether power, controls, communications, electronics, embedded systems, or chips appeal to you.
- Look up local wage and job data for that specialty. Pay and demand vary by region, employer type, and experience, so use local labor-market data rather than national medians.
- Get practical experience early. Internships and co-op placements are how many graduates land their first job, and they help you compare sectors before you commit.
- Treat a master’s degree as a targeted investment. Pursue it when a specific role or research path requires it, and weigh the added cost and years against the salary difference you expect in that role.
- Plan for the PE only if your role needs it. Check your state board’s requirements, the FE and PE exam steps, and whether your employer will support the process.
Compare offers on total pay, benefits, location costs, and expected advancement, not on the headline salary alone.
Limits of the evidence
The licensure rules, pay figures, and outlook here are U.S.-specific. The core source is the BLS profile, supplemented by Department of Energy and university program information. University job-title lists show what graduates have been hired into, not what is currently available, and no source establishes a global comparison of earnings for this degree.
Quick Recap
The Bottom Line
“”
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
