Electrical Engineers in North Carolina
Considering working as an Electrical Engineers in North Carolina? Here’s what you need to know. Research, design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, or systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use. Excludes “Computer Hardware Engineers” (17-2061).
What do Electrical Engineers Make in North Carolina?
For electrical engineers working in North Carolina, wages run about $107,760 per year (or about $51.81/hour).Earnings range from $70,710 at the 10th percentile to $184,490 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $70,710 | $33.99 |
| 25th percentile | $80,800 | $38.84 |
| Median (50th) | $107,760 | $51.81 |
| 75th percentile | $139,560 | $67.10 |
| 90th percentile | $184,490 | $88.70 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in North Carolina compared to the national average — is 1.09.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, electrical engineers earn a median of $127,814 per year ($61.45/hour), lower than the North Carolina median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 176,960 electrical engineers nationwide. In North Carolina alone, about 6,560 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 2,320 electrical engineers.
Top North Carolina Metros for Electrical Engineers
The largest metro-area employers of electrical engineers in North Carolina.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 1,590 | $114,450 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 1,590 | $130,900 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 840 | $112,090 |
| Wilmington, NC | 370 | $100,310 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 330 | $105,360 |
| Asheville, NC | 250 | $96,210 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 220 | $103,960 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 190 | $79,920 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 80 | $105,850 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | 70 | $101,300 |
| Greenville, NC | 60 | $78,670 |
| Burlington, NC | 50 | $105,250 |
| Goldsboro, NC | 30 | $97,980 |
Top States for Electrical Engineers Employment
The table below shows the states where the most electrical engineers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 23,650 |
| Texas | 15,470 |
| Michigan | 10,840 |
| Washington | 10,010 |
| New York | 7,720 |
| Pennsylvania | 7,660 |
| Florida | 7,400 |
| North Carolina | 6,560 |
| Ohio | 6,030 |
| Virginia | 5,990 |
| Illinois | 5,820 |
| Arizona | 4,970 |
| Massachusetts | 4,780 |
| Colorado | 4,770 |
| Georgia | 4,580 |
| Alabama | 4,470 |
| Maryland | 4,380 |
| Wisconsin | 3,970 |
| Indiana | 3,860 |
| New Jersey | 3,620 |
Highest-Paying States for Electrical Engineers
Where electrical engineers earn the most: electrical engineers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| New Mexico | $143,850 |
| California | $140,360 |
| District of Columbia | $138,860 |
| New Hampshire | $131,790 |
| Washington | $130,730 |
| Idaho | $128,960 |
| Massachusetts | $126,010 |
| New Jersey | $125,120 |
| Maryland | $124,450 |
| Virginia | $122,320 |
Skills
Top electrical engineers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for electrical engineers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Electrical Engineers typically:
- Design, implement, maintain, or improve electrical instruments, equipment, facilities, components, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, or domestic purposes.
- Oversee project production efforts to assure projects are completed on time and within budget.
- Direct or coordinate manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, support, documentation, or testing activities to ensure compliance with specifications, codes, or customer requirements.
- Perform detailed calculations to compute and establish manufacturing, construction, or installation standards or specifications.
- Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform engineering tasks.
- Confer with engineers, customers, or others to discuss existing or potential engineering projects or products.
- Investigate or test vendors' or competitors' products.
- Inspect completed installations and observe operations to ensure conformance to design and equipment specifications and compliance with operational, safety, or environmental standards.
- Investigate customer or public complaints to determine the nature and extent of problems.
- Prepare technical drawings, specifications of electrical systems, or topographical maps to ensure that installation and operations conform to standards and customer requirements.
- Compile data and write reports regarding existing or potential electrical engineering studies or projects.
- Prepare specifications for purchases of materials or equipment.
Work Activities
- Working with Computers
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Scheduling Work and Activities
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Getting Information
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Thinking Creatively
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Apache Subversion SVN, Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Revit In-demand technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk Revit
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Electrical Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Electromechanical Engineering
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Careers similar to electrical engineers include:
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- Industrial Engineers
- Manufacturing Engineers
- Mechanical Engineers
- Automotive Engineers
- Mechatronics Engineers
Also Known As
Automation Engineer, Cable Engineer, Circuits Engineer, Controls Engineer, Design Engineer, Design Verification Engineer, Distribution Engineer, Distribution Field Engineer, District Plant Engineer, Division Engineer, Division Plant Engineer, Electrical Controls Engineer, Electrical Design Engineer, Electrical Designer, Electrical Engineer.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 17-2071.00