Calculate needs, then draw the wiring
Work out by calculation what the equipment needs, then lay out its wiring in design software.
Career profile
Electrical Engineer
Electrical engineers design electrical systems, then check whether each one works as intended.
How should this machine get its power? Your calculations, drawings and test runs turn that question into something others can build.
A day in the life
Simulate a motor and its controls
On motor-control jobs, simulate a motor with its controls and redesign if results miss the goal.
Track down a failed test
Set measured results beside the test plan, then pinpoint the fault and pick retests with test technicians.
Inspect how equipment was installed
Check installed equipment against your specifications and drawings, noting each mismatch for the project team to settle.
Quick facts
Bachelor’s degree
United States
$120,630/year
United States · May 2025
9.9% growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Bachelor’s degreeUsually in electrical engineering or a related engineering field.
Pay
$120,630/yearMedian electrical-engineer pay, equivalent to about $58.00/hour.
Outlook
9.9% growthProjected employment growth for electrical engineers.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy using calculations to choose between designs.
- An unexpected test result makes you want to investigate.
- You like explaining your reasoning to someone building or testing your design.
Things to weigh
- Accuracy takes patience: drawings and calculations need careful checking.
- Deadlines can compete with investigation time, and some jobs run beyond a 40-hour week.
Where AI may help
Simulation software can calculate how a proposed motor or power system behaves before hardware is built.
What people still lead
You choose which real-world details the model must capture and decide how to verify its predictions with tests.
What we can’t predict yet
How much physical testing simulation can replace depends on the design and the behavior its model leaves out.
Pay in context
Earnings
The national median describes the whole occupation, not a starting offer.
The middle and the spread
The median was $120,630 a year, or $58.00 an hour. The 10th and 90th percentile annual wages were $76,550 and $184,300; these are wage positions, not career stages.
Workplace type matters
Annual medians were $105,780 in engineering services, $122,430 in electric power generation, transmission and distribution, and $141,160 in aerospace manufacturing.
Openings include replacement hiring
About 11,400 openings are projected annually, alongside 9.9% employment growth over the decade. Openings include replacing people who leave the occupation.
Getting started
Study electrical engineering
- What the route involves
- Combine math and circuit courses with laboratory work and a design project.
- What it can lead to
- A bachelor’s degree provides the typical educational preparation for entry-level engineering jobs.
Choose a degree with cooperative education
- What the route involves
- Complete engineering coursework and work placements through a cooperative education program, often called co-op.
- What it can lead to
- You graduate with the degree and practical experience that employers value.
- What to check
- Co-op is part of the degree path; compare each program’s placement arrangements and graduation schedule.
Both routes build toward an engineering degree. Entry-level electrical engineering positions do not require a professional license.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Make your work easy to check
Learn the team’s drawing conventions and show how your calculations support each design choice.
Own a test from plan to result
Develop the test procedure, interpret failures, and coordinate the next investigation with technicians.
Lead an engineering team
Move toward coordinating engineers and technicians across a larger project.
Where you can work
Aerospace hardware testing
Work with test technicians to prove that hardware meets customer requirements. Test procedures and recorded results shape the day; some roles involve travel.
- Indoors
- Lab
- Travel
Power equipment test facilities
At a turbine test facility, the electrical systems support large equipment tests. Experienced engineers take responsibility for power distribution, motor-speed controls, and equipment that connects generators for testing.
- Indoors
- Safety-sensitive
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
On paper, design a battery-powered desk fan: sketch the battery, switch, and motor connections. List two requirements, such as running time and adjustable speed, then describe how you would test each. Notice whether turning a wish into something measurable interests you.
Stay safe: Keep this exercise on paper; no wiring or powered equipment is needed.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. National Wages: Electrical Engineers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational projections and worker characteristics. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- O*NET OnLine. Electrical Engineers — 17-2071.00. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Drexel University. Electrical Engineering BSEE. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- MathWorks. Simscape Electrical. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- MathWorks. Choose Blocks and Mathematical Models. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- GE Aerospace. Electrical Test Engineer — R5034850. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- GE Vernova. Lead Electrical Engineer — Gas Turbine Test Facility. Accessed 2026-10-03.