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Utilities & Power Generation
Duke Energy, Exelon, PG&E
Electrical Engineers
Electrical engineers design and troubleshoot the systems that move power and information, from industrial equipment and building wiring to control hardware and product electronics. The work mixes computer-based design, reports, cost estimates, and on-site checks with steady coordination across engineers, customers, and technicians. The tradeoff is strong pay and technically interesting problems, but also strict codes, heavy documentation, and real responsibility when equipment or systems fail.
Also known as Electrical Design EngineerElectrical Project EngineerStaff Electrical EngineerElectrical Engineer IElectrical Engineer II
Median Salary
$111,910
Mean $120,980
U.S. Workforce
~189K
11.7K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+7.2%
192K to 205.7K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Electrical Engineers sits in the Technology category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~189K workers, with a median annual pay of $111,910 and roughly 11.7K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 192 K in 2024 to 205.7K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a closely related field, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Electrical Engineering Intern and can progress toward Principal Electrical Engineer. High-value skills usually include Technical Writing & Engineering Reports, Electrical Troubleshooting & Diagnostics, and Reading Schematics, Blueprints & Specifications, paired with soft skills such as Clear written communication, Critical thinking, and Careful reading and interpretation.
Core Responsibilities
- Help plan new equipment projects or major repairs, including the time and money needed to get them done.
- Turn study results and project data into clear engineering reports.
- Meet with engineers, customers, and vendors to sort out what a project needs and how it should work.
- Design or improve electrical systems, components, and equipment for buildings, factories, or products.
Keep exploring: more Technology careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Help plan new equipment projects or major repairs, including the time and money needed to get them done.
02 Turn study results and project data into clear engineering reports.
03 Meet with engineers, customers, and vendors to sort out what a project needs and how it should work.
04 Design or improve electrical systems, components, and equipment for buildings, factories, or products.
05 Oversee installation, testing, maintenance, and documentation so work matches codes and specifications.
06 Check finished work, estimate costs, and investigate complaints or performance problems when something does not work right.
Industries That Hire
🛩️
Aerospace & Defense
Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
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Semiconductors & Electronics
Intel, Texas Instruments, Qualcomm
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Industrial Equipment & Automation
Siemens, Honeywell, ABB
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Automotive & EVs
Tesla, Ford, General Motors
🧰
Engineering Services & Consulting
Jacobs, AECOM, Burns & McDonnell
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is strong: the median is $111,910 and the mean is $120,980, which puts this role well above many office-based careers.
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The job outlook is steady, with 7.2% projected growth and about 11.7K annual openings.
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You can usually enter with a bachelor's degree, and no work experience or on-the-job training is required to start.
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The work is varied, mixing design, analysis, meetings, reporting, and site checks instead of the same task all day.
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Skills transfer across many sectors, so you can move between power, manufacturing, electronics, consulting, and product companies.
Challenges
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Getting started is not quick: the standard entry requirement is a bachelor's degree, so the path is longer and more expensive than many technical jobs.
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A lot of the work is paperwork-heavy, including reports, compliance checks, estimates, and documentation.
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The 7.2% growth rate is solid but not explosive, so competition can still be strong in desirable markets or specialties.
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Routine design and calculation work can be squeezed by software and automation, which means entry-level engineers may spend more time supporting rather than leading.
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The highest pay often goes to engineers who gain licensure, specialize deeply, or move into management, so the pure technical career path can level off.
Career Progression
Electrical Engineering Intern
0-1 years
$55K-$79K
Supports testing, drafting, calculations, and data collection while learning the tools and standards used by the team.
Junior Electrical Engineer
1-4 years
$80K-$104K
Handles routine design work, basic analysis, and documentation with close review from more experienced engineers.
Electrical Engineer THIS ROLE
4-9 years
$105K-$135K
Owns day-to-day design and troubleshooting work, and this is the level that matches the occupation’s typical pay range.
Senior Electrical Engineer
9-15 years
$136K-$170K
Leads more complex projects, reviews other engineers’ work, and makes sure designs meet codes and customer needs.
Principal Electrical Engineer
15+ years
$171K-$210K
Sets technical direction, solves the hardest design problems, and mentors teams or approves major engineering decisions.
Education Paths
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a closely related field
The most common entry point, held by 81.62% of workers in this role.
Associate's degree or 2-year engineering technology program
An alternative path taken by 11.04% of workers, usually paired with a more limited scope or a later move into full engineering work.
Master's degree in electrical engineering or a specialization such as power or controls
A smaller but meaningful path, held by 7.34% of workers, often used to target advanced design or research-heavy jobs.
Bachelor's degree plus FE/EIT preparation and later PE licensure
A licensure-focused path for engineers who want to work on regulated designs, sign off on certain projects, or move into senior technical responsibility.
Key Skills
Technical
Technical Writing & Engineering Reports 78%
Electrical Troubleshooting & Diagnostics 75%
Reading Schematics, Blueprints & Specifications 75%
Circuit Design & Analysis 72%
MATLAB, Simulink & Engineering Modeling 72%
AutoCAD Electrical & Drafting Software 70%
ETAP, PSCAD & Power Systems Analysis 68%
PLCs, Instrumentation & Control Systems 65%
Soft Skills
Clear written communicationCritical thinkingCareful reading and interpretationActive learningListening to clients and teammatesComplex problem solving Job Outlook and Trends
+7.2%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
11.7K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 192K to 205.7 K over the next decade, representing 7.2% growth. Around 11.7 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.