Electrical and Electronics Engineers : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Summary

Electrical engineers work to design and develop electrical equipment, while electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment.

Quick Facts: Electrical and Electronics Engineers
2010 Median Pay	$87,180 per year $41.92 per hour
Entry-Level Education	Bachelor’s degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	None
Number of Jobs, 2010	294,000
Job Outlook, 2010-20	6% (Slower than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	17,600

What Electrical and Electronics Engineers Do

Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, and power generation equipment. Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications systems—from portable music players to global positioning systems (GPS).

Work Environment

Electrical and electronics engineers work primarily in industries that conduct research and development, for engineering services firms, in manufacturing, and in the federal government. They generally work indoors in offices. However, they may have to visit sites to observe a problem or a piece of complex equipment.

How to Become an Electrical or Electronics Engineer

Electrical and electronics engineers must have a bachelor’s degree. Employers also value practical experience, so graduates of cooperative engineering programs, in which students earn academic credit for structured work experience, are valuable as well.

Pay

The median annual wage of electrical engineers was $84,540 in May 2010. The median annual wage of electronics engineers was $90,170 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of electrical and electronics engineers is expected to grow 6 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of electrical and electronics engineers with similar occupations.

O*NET

O*NET provides comprehensive information on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

Contacts for More Information

Learn more about electrical and electronics engineers by contacting these additional resources.

What Electrical and Electronics Engineers Do About this section

Electronics engineers analyze the requirements and costs of electrical systems.

Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, or power generation equipment. Electrical engineers also design the electrical systems of automobiles and aircraft.

Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment such as broadcast and communications systems, from portable music players to global positioning systems (GPS). Many also work in areas closely related to computer hardware.

Duties

Electrical engineers typically do the following:

Design new ways to use electrical power to develop or improve products
Do detailed calculations to compute manufacturing, construction, and installation standards and specifications
Direct manufacturing, installing, and testing to ensure that the product as built meets specifications and codes
Investigate complaints from customers or the public, evaluate problems, and recommend solutions
Work with project managers on production efforts to ensure projects are completed satisfactorily, on time, and within budget

Electronics engineers typically do the following:

Design electronic components, software, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, medical, military, or scientific applications
Analyze electrical system requirements, capacity, cost, and customer needs and then develop a system plan
Develop maintenance and testing procedures for electronic components and equipment
Evaluate systems and recommend repair or design modifications
Inspect electronic equipment, instruments, and systems to make sure they meet safety standards and applicable regulations
Plan and develop applications and modifications for electronic properties used in parts and systems to improve technical performance

Electronics engineers who work for the federal government research, develop, and evaluate electronic devices used in diverse technologies, such as aviation, computing, transportation, and manufacturing. They work on federal electronic devices and systems, including satellites, flight systems, radar and sonar systems, and communications systems.

The work of electrical engineers and electronics engineers is often similar. Both use engineering and design software and equipment to do engineering tasks. Both types of engineers must also work with other engineers to discuss existing products and possibilities for engineering projects.

Engineers whose work is related exclusively to computer hardware are considered computer hardware engineers. For more information about this occupation, see the profile on computer hardware engineers.

Work Environment About this section

Electrical and electronic engineers are mostly employed in industries conducting research and development or engineering service firms.

Electrical and electronics engineers held about 294,000 jobs in 2010.

Electrical and electronics engineers worked primarily in engineering services firms, electric power generation, manufacturing, and research and development in 2010:

Architectural, engineering, and related services	22%
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing	10
Electric power generation, transmission and distribution	10
Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing	7
Scientific research and development services	5

Electronics engineers work mostly for the federal government, semiconductor manufacturing, and telecommunications companies. Industries employing the largest number of electronics engineers in 2010 were as follows:

Federal government, excluding postal service	14%
Wired telecommunications carriers	11
Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing	11
Architectural, engineering, and related services	8
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing	8

Electrical and electronics engineers generally work indoors in offices. However, they may visit sites to observe a problem or a piece of complex equipment.

Most of these engineers work full time, and overtime is not uncommon.

How to Become an Electrical or Electronics Engineer About this section

Becoming an electrical or electronics engineer involves study of math and engineering.

Education

High school students interested in studying electrical or electronics engineering benefit from taking courses in physics and mathematics—algebra, trigonometry, and calculus. Courses in drafting are also helpful, as these engineers are often required to prepare technical drawings.

Entry-level jobs in electrical or electronics engineering generally require a bachelor's degree. Programs typically last 4 years and include classroom, laboratory, and field studies. Courses include digital systems design, differential equations, and electrical circuit theory. Programs in electrical engineering should be accredited by ABET (formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology).

Some colleges and universities offer cooperative programs in which students gain practical experience while completing their education. Cooperative programs combine classroom study with practical work.

At some universities, students can enroll in a 5-year program that leads to both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. A graduate degree allows an engineer to work as an instructor at some universities, or in research and development.

Important Qualities

Active learning. Electrical and electronics engineers have to apply knowledge learned in school to new tasks in every project they undertake. In addition, continuing education is important for them so that they can keep up with changes in technology.

Communication skills. Electrical and electronics engineers work closely with other engineers and technicians. They must be able to clearly explain their designs and reasoning and to relay instructions during product development and production. They may also need to explain complex issues to customers who have little or no technical expertise.

Detail oriented. Electrical and electronics engineers design and develop complex electrical systems and electronic components and products. They must keep track of multiple design elements and technical characteristics during these processes.

Math skills. Electrical and electronics engineers use the principals of calculus and other advanced topics in mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work.

Teamwork. Electrical and electronics engineers must work with others during production to ensure that their plans are being correctly applied. This includes monitoring technicians to see that plans are being implemented properly and devising remedies to problems as they come up.

Licenses

Licensure for electrical and electronics engineers is not as common as it is for other engineering occupations, but it is encouraged for those working in companies that have contracts with the government at all levels. Engineers who become licensed are designated professional engineers (PEs). Licensure generally requires the following:

A degree from an engineering program accredited by the ABET
A passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
Relevant work experience
A passing score on the Professional Engineering (PE) exam

The initial Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam can be taken right after graduation from a college or university. Engineers who pass this exam commonly are called engineers in training (EITs) or engineer interns (EIs). After getting work experience, EITs can take the second exam, called the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam.

Several states require engineers to take continuing education to keep their license. Most states recognize licensure from other states if the licensing state’s requirements meet or exceed their own licensure requirements.

Advancement

Engineers may advance to supervise a team of engineers and technicians. Some may move into management positions, such as engineering managers or program managers. Preparation for managerial positions usually requires working under the guidance of a more experienced engineer.

For sales work, an engineering background enables engineers to discuss a product's technical aspects and assist in product planning and use. For more information, see the profile on sales engineers.

Pay About this section

Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Median annual wages, May 2010

Electronics Engineers, Except Computer: $90,170
Electrical and Electronics Engineers: $87,180
Electrical Engineers: $84,540
Total, All Occupations: $33,840

The median annual wage of electrical engineers was $84,540 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half of the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $54,030, and the top 10 percent earned more than $128,610.

The median annual wage of electronics engineers was $90,170 in May 2010. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $57,860, and the top 10 percent earned more than $135,080.

Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of electrical engineers in May 2010 were as follows:

Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing	$92,070
Scientific research and development services	90,790
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing	89,590
Electric power generation, transmission and distribution	83,960
Architectural, engineering, and related services	83,750

Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of electronics engineers, except computer, in May 2010 were as follows:

Federal government, excluding postal service	$104,310
Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing	93,610
Architectural, engineering, and related services	89,360
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing	88,690
Wired telecommunications carriers	81,380

Most of these engineers work full time, and overtime is not uncommon.

Job Outlook About this section

Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Percent change in employment, projected 2010-20

Total, All Occupations: 14%
Electrical Engineers: 7%
Electrical and Electronics Engineers: 6%
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer: 5%

Employment of electrical and electronics engineers is expected to grow 6 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations. Job growth is expected because of electrical and electronics engineers’ versatility in developing and applying emerging technologies. On the other hand, employment growth will be tempered by the slow growth or decline of most manufacturing sectors in which they are employed.

Growth for electrical and electronics engineers will largely occur in engineering services firms, as more companies are expected to cut costs by contracting engineering services rather than directly employing engineers. These engineers will also experience job growth in computer systems design and wireless telecommunications as these industries continue to implement more powerful portable computing devices.

The rapid pace of technological innovation and development will likely drive demand for electrical and electronics engineers in research and development, where their expertise will be needed to develop distribution systems related to new technologies.

Employment projections data for electrical and electronics engineers, 2010-20
Occupational Title	SOC Code	Employment, 2010	Projected Employment, 2020	Change, 2010-20		Employment by Industry
Occupational Title	SOC Code	Employment, 2010	Projected Employment, 2020	Percent	Numeric	Employment by Industry
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Electrical and Electronics Engineers	17-2070	294,000	311,600	6	17,600	[XLS]
Electrical Engineers	17-2071	154,000	164,700	7	10,700	[XLS]
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer	17-2072	140,000	146,900	5	6,800	[XLS]

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of electrical and electronics engineers.

Occupation	Job Duties	ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION	2010 MEDIAN PAY
Aerospace Engineers	Aerospace engineers design aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles. In addition, they test prototypes to make sure that they function according to design.	Bachelor’s degree	$97,480
Architectural and Engineering Managers	Architectural and engineering managers plan, coordinate, and direct activities in architecture and engineering, including research and development in these fields.	Bachelor’s degree	$119,260
Biomedical Engineers	Biomedical engineers analyze and design solutions to problems in biology and medicine, with the goal of improving the quality and effectiveness of patient care.	Bachelor’s degree	$81,540
Computer Hardware Engineers	Computer hardware engineers research, design, develop, and test computer equipment such as chips, circuit boards, or routers. By solving complex problems in computer hardware, these engineers create rapid advances in computer technology.	Bachelor’s degree	$98,810
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technicians	Electrical and electronic engineering technicians help engineers design and develop computers, communications equipment, medical monitoring devices, navigational equipment, and other electrical and electronic equipment. They often work in product evaluation and testing, using measuring and diagnostic devices to adjust, test, and repair equipment.	Associate’s degree	$56,040
Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers	Electrical and electronics installers and repairers install, repair, or replace a variety of electrical equipment in telecommunications, transportation, utilities, and other industries.	Postsecondary non-degree award	$49,170
Electricians	Electricians install and maintain electrical systems in homes, businesses, and factories.	High school diploma or equivalent	$48,250
Electro-mechanical Technicians	Electro-mechanical technicians combine knowledge of mechanical technology with knowledge of electrical and electronic circuits. They install, troubleshoot, repair, and upgrade electronic and computer-controlled mechanical systems, such as robotic assembly machines.	Associate’s degree	$49,550
Sales Engineers	Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses. They must have extensive knowledge of the products’ parts and functions and must understand the scientific processes that make these products work.	Bachelor’s degree	$87,390