What Does it Take to Be an Electrical Engineer?
Job Description & Duties Research, design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, or systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use.
Electrical Engineer Responsibilities
- Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform engineering tasks.
- Inspect completed installations and observe operations to ensure conformance to design and equipment specifications and compliance with operational, safety, or environmental standards.
- Collect data relating to commercial or residential development, population, or power system interconnection to determine operating efficiency of electrical systems.
- Prepare technical drawings, specifications of electrical systems, or topographical maps to ensure that installation and operations conform to standards and customer requirements.
- Estimate labor, material, or construction costs for budget preparation purposes.
- Oversee project production efforts to assure projects are completed on time and within budget.
Electrical Engineer Required Skills
These are the skills Electrical Engineers say are the most useful in their careers:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Types of Electrical Engineer Jobs
- Wire Communications Engineer
- Hardware Design Engineer
- Utility Engineer
- Induction Coordination Power Engineer
- Circuits Engineer
Is There Going to be Demand for Electrical Engineers?
There were about 188,300 jobs for Electrical Engineer in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 16,200 new jobs for Electrical Engineer by 2026. There will be an estimated 13,900 positions for Electrical Engineer per year.
The states with the most job growth for Electrical Engineer are Nevada, Utah, and Wisconsin. Watch out if you plan on working in Kentucky, Alaska, or New Mexico. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Electrical Engineers Salary
The salary for Electrical Engineers ranges between about $61,190 and $153,240 a year.
Electrical Engineers who work in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, or New Mexico, make the highest salaries.
How much do Electrical Engineers make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $97,310 |
| Alaska | $119,130 |
| Arizona | $106,260 |
| Arkansas | $82,200 |
| California | $114,170 |
| Colorado | $100,550 |
| Connecticut | $98,310 |
| Delaware | $108,900 |
| District of Columbia | $118,000 |
| Florida | $94,250 |
| Georgia | $87,850 |
| Hawaii | $89,720 |
| Idaho | $93,080 |
| Illinois | $94,700 |
| Indiana | $86,100 |
| Iowa | $87,700 |
| Kansas | $90,880 |
| Kentucky | $89,780 |
| Louisiana | $94,090 |
| Maine | $89,860 |
| Maryland | $116,560 |
| Massachusetts | $113,920 |
| Michigan | $90,700 |
| Minnesota | $98,120 |
| Mississippi | $93,740 |
| Missouri | $97,750 |
| Montana | $92,120 |
| Nebraska | $90,180 |
| Nevada | $92,540 |
| New Hampshire | $107,790 |
| New Jersey | $118,120 |
| New Mexico | $113,050 |
| New York | $103,740 |
| North Carolina | $97,490 |
| North Dakota | $89,680 |
| Ohio | $85,320 |
| Oklahoma | $98,950 |
| Oregon | $90,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $94,870 |
| Rhode Island | $110,360 |
| South Carolina | $90,140 |
| South Dakota | $84,710 |
| Tennessee | $93,180 |
| Texas | $106,260 |
| Utah | $94,200 |
| Vermont | $115,460 |
| Virginia | $109,690 |
| Washington | $113,540 |
| West Virginia | $88,640 |
| Wisconsin | $86,020 |
| Wyoming | $92,960 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Electrical Engineers
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Electrical Engineers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Python
- Data entry software
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Microsoft Visio
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- Linux
- IBM Notes
- Microsoft Visual Basic
- UNIX
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Minitab
- National Instruments LabVIEW
Becoming an Electrical Engineer
What kind of Electrical Engineer requirements are there?
How Long Does it Take to Become an Electrical Engineer?
Where Electrical Engineers Work
The table below shows the approximate number of Electrical Engineers employed by various industries.
Related Careers
Those interested in being an Electrical Engineer may also be interested in:
Are you already one of the many Electrical Engineer in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: NASA via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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