Electrical Engineers
SOC code 17-2071 · O*NET-SOC 17-2071.00 · Considerable preparation needed · Science and engineering
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth for this occupation
Electrical Engineers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$120,630
a year
Hourly
$58.00
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$125,100
$60.15 per hour
Middle 50%
$92,830 – $152,950
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$76,550 – $184,300
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
198,750
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $76,550
- $36.80/hr
- 25th percentile
- $92,830
- $44.63/hr
- Median percentile
- $120,630
- $58.00/hr
- 75th percentile
- $152,950
- $73.53/hr
- 90th percentile
- $184,300
- $88.61/hr
What does an electrical engineer do?
Research, design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, or systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- 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.
- Collect data relating to commercial or residential development, population, or power system interconnection to determine operating efficiency of electrical systems.
How to become an electrical engineer
Most people in this role hold bachelor's degree — 82% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Bachelor's Degree82%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree11%
- Master's Degree7%
Common questions
How much does an electrical engineer earn?
The national median is $120,630 a year. The full range runs from $76,550 at the 10th percentile to $184,300 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become an electrical engineer without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Writing4.1/5
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Speaking3.9/5
- Active Learning3.9/5
- Monitoring3.5/5
- Mathematics3.4/5
Knowledge areas
- Engineering and Technology4.7/5
- Computers and Electronics4.7/5
- Design4.1/5
- English Language3.8/5
- Mathematics3.7/5
- Physics3.6/5
- Production and Processing3.3/5
- Mechanical3.2/5
Transferable strengths: Complex Problem Solving, Coordination.