Electrical Engineer Salary

Bureau of Labor Statistics title: Electrical Engineers

The median electrical engineer salary in the United States is $120,630 per year ($58.00/hour). Salaries range from $76,550 at the entry level to $184,300+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 198,750 electrical engineer jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 7.2% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asElectrical EngineerEE
Median Salary
$120,630
per year
Hourly Rate
$58.00
per hour
Employment
198,750
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$76,550
25th percentile
$92,830
Median
$120,630
75th percentile
$152,950
90th percentile
$184,300

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+7.2%
Faster than average

Annual Openings

11,700
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Bachelor's degree

Electrical Engineer Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for electrical engineers.

Electrical engineers design + develop electrical systems across power, electronics, communications, control systems, and RF. Career splits by domain: hardware (PCB, semiconductor, embedded), power systems (utility, generation, transmission), control + automation (industrial, robotics), and RF/wireless (semiconductor communications). Pay varies 2x between traditional utility work and Big Tech / semiconductor. Employers screen for: FE certification, EE domain fundamentals, simulation tools (SPICE, MATLAB, Altium), hands-on testing skills, and technical writing.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Circuit design + analysis
Analog + digital circuits, timing analysis, signal integrity. Ohm's law + Kirchhoff's + transistor operation.
PCB design (Altium, KiCAD, Cadence)
Schematic capture + layout + BOM. High-speed design for signal integrity.
Simulation (SPICE, MATLAB, Simulink)
Circuit simulation for validation. MATLAB for signal processing + control.
Embedded firmware
C for microcontrollers. RTOS basics. Communication protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, USB).
Test equipment fluency
Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, function generators, DMMs. Reading + interpreting waveforms.
IEEE / IEC standards
Industry-specific codes: NEC, IEC 61508 (safety), IEC 60601 (medical), automotive AEC-Q100.
FE + PE licensure (for power systems track)
Required for utility, PLC / control, and consulting work.

How to Become a Electrical Engineer

  1. 1
    BSEE (ABET-accredited)
    Required. Coursework: circuits, electromagnetics, signal processing, control systems, semiconductor devices.
  2. 2
    Pass FE exam senior year
    First step for PE. Take before graduating.
  3. 3
    First job: hardware, power, control, or RF/wireless
    Hardware = product companies. Power = utilities + consulting. Control = manufacturing. RF = semiconductor + defense.
  4. 4
    4 years experience + PE (for power systems)
    Required for utility + consulting + power system design. Adds $10-15k premium.
  5. 5
    Specialize by year 3-5
    Semiconductors, embedded, power, RF, controls, aerospace. Semiconductor + Big Tech pay significantly more than traditional.
  6. 6
    MSEE for research or Big Tech specialty roles
    Not required but common for Big Tech + research + specialty roles.

Career Progression

EE I / II
0-3 yrs$80-115k Β· Big Tech / semiconductor $130-170k TC
  • β€’Component design under senior review
  • β€’PCB layout + BOM
  • β€’Test setup + validation
  • β€’Firmware for small features
Next: EE III / Senior.
Senior EE / EE III
3-8 yrs$115-160k Β· Big Tech / semi $200-320k TC
  • β€’Own subsystem design end-to-end
  • β€’Interface with product + manufacturing + firmware
  • β€’Mentor junior engineers
  • β€’Lead design reviews + FMEAs
Next: Staff / Lead / Manager.
Staff / Lead EE / Engineering Manager
8-15 yrs$140-200k Β· Big Tech / semi $300-500k TC
  • β€’Own product architecture
  • β€’Manage team of 4-10 engineers
  • β€’Cross-BU technical strategy
Next: Principal / Director.
Principal Engineer / Director
15+ yrs$185-280k+ + bonus Β· Big Tech $450-800k+
  • β€’Technical fellow OR management leadership
  • β€’Represent EE function to exec
  • β€’Set org-wide technical strategy

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 11 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Design a low-pass filter with cutoff frequency 1 kHz.technical
First-order RC: fc = 1 / (2π·RC). Pick R = 1kΞ© β†’ C = 159nF (use 160nF standard). Discuss order (first-order vs higher for steeper rolloff). Discuss active vs passive tradeoffs. Screens for foundational circuit design.
Q2. Explain how a DC-DC buck converter works.technical
Switching regulator: MOSFET switch + inductor + diode + capacitor. When switch closes, inductor charges. When open, energy transferred via diode + inductor discharge maintains output. Output = duty cycle Γ— input. PWM controller manages switching. Screens for power electronics understanding.
Q3. Tell me about a design that failed testing.behavioral
STAR. Real failure: EMI compliance failure, timing violation, thermal failure. Root cause + redesign + retest. Screens for troubleshooting rigor.
Q4. Why our specific product line / industry?culture
Research: recent products, technical challenges, R&D roadmap. Concrete citation.
Q5. How do you handle a design that meets spec on the bench but fails in field?situational
Identify variables not covered by spec: temperature extremes, humidity, EMI environment, unit-to-unit variation. Field data collection. Correlate failures to environmental parameters. Design margin expansion or environmental hardening.

Resume Template β€” EE I / II (0-3 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

EE I / II (0-3 yrs)
  • β–ΈDesigned 6-layer PCB for consumer wearable including analog frontend + Bluetooth radio; passed FCC + CE compliance on first submission.
  • β–ΈReduced PCB manufacturing cost by 22% through DFM optimization + component consolidation across 3 board revisions.
  • β–ΈOwned firmware for LED driver control across 5 product variants using STM32; achieved 99.98% field reliability.
  • β–ΈPassed Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam; on track for PE at 4-year mark.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—No CAD/PCB proficiency at hardware roles.
  • βœ—Vague on electromagnetics or signal integrity for high-speed design.
  • βœ—Overselling scope on projects.
  • βœ—Poor hands-on debugging skills β€” critical for field-facing engineering.
  • βœ—No FE by mid-career for power systems.
  • βœ—Missing IEEE / IEC standards fluency for regulated industries.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“PE license for power systems + consulting.
  • βœ“MSEE or specialty PhD for research + Big Tech.
  • βœ“Domain specialty (RF, high-speed digital, power).
  • βœ“Industry expertise (aerospace, medical device, automotive AEC-Q100).
  • βœ“Sign-on for competitive hires.
  • βœ“Big Tech + semiconductor pay premiums.
  • βœ“Relocation package.

Electrical Engineer Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired electrical engineers. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Electrical Engineer Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 11 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 6 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 5 top employers
  • βœ“ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
  • βœ“ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
βœ“ 7-day money-back guarantee β€” no questions asked

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Electrical Engineer Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$87K
$159Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

New Mexico
$159K
+31%
California
$144K
+19%
District of Columbia
$143K
+19%
New Hampshire
$136K
+13%
Washington
$133K
+10%
Texas
$129K
+7%
Idaho
$129K
+7%
Massachusetts
$128K
+6%
Delaware
$127K
+5%
Alaska
$126K
+4%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
New Mexico$158,520+31.4%
California$144,040+19.4%
District of Columbia$143,000+18.5%
New Hampshire$135,710+12.5%
Washington$132,710+10.0%
Texas$129,450+7.3%
Idaho$129,340+7.2%
Massachusetts$127,720+5.9%
Delaware$126,970+5.3%
Alaska$125,970+4.4%
1–10 of 49

Electrical Engineer Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$187,060+55.1%
Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA$167,010+38.4%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$166,030+37.6%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$164,880+36.7%
Albuquerque, NM$163,720+35.7%
Vallejo, CA$160,060+32.7%
Manchester-Nashua, NH$159,360+32.1%
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$145,360+20.5%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$140,210+16.2%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$139,780+15.9%
1–10 of 319
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A electrical engineer earning $120,630/year would need 494 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 531 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how electrical engineer salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Electrical Engineer salary trend (2011–2024) β†’