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Electrical Engineering

Types of Degrees Electrical Engineering Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Electrical Engineering can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	179
Associate’s Degree	273
Bachelor’s Degree	14,969
Master’s Degree	9,172
Doctor’s Degree	2,102

What Electrical Engineering Majors Need to Know

Programs in Electrical Engineering develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Electrical Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Electrical Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Electrical Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Electrical Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Electrical Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Electrical Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Electrical Engineering graduates include:

• Drafting Teacher
• Instructor
• Marine Engineering Teacher
• Aeronautics Teacher
• Refrigeration Engineering Teacher
• Metallurgical Engineering Teacher
• Petroleum Engineering Teacher
• Electrical Engineering Professor
• Civil Engineering Teacher
• Applied Mechanics Teacher
• University Faculty Member
• Plastics Engineering Teacher
• Mechanical Drawing Teacher
• Electrical Engineering Lecturer
• Engineering Fundamentals Instructor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Electrical Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	30.7%
Bachelor’s degree	30.0%
Master’s degree	12.5%
Post-doctoral training	8.5%
Post-master’s certificate	8.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.3%
Postsecondary certificate	1.5%
First professional degree	1.3%
Some college courses	1.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.6%
Less than a high school diploma	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Electrical Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 81.7% of Electrical Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	4,893	18.3%
Men	21,867	81.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Electrical Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	9,306	34.8%
Asian	3,470	13.0%
Hispanic or Latino	3,141	11.7%
Black or African American	1,162	4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	43	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	22	0.1%
Two or More Races	834	3.1%
Race Unknown	696	2.6%
International Students	8,086	30.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Electrical Engineering Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Electrical Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$82,923
4 years	$94,702
5 years	$107,414

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $107,414 — roughly 30% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Electrical Engineering Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for Electrical Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	2	2
Bachelor’s	6	14
Master’s	28	42
Doctoral (Research)	3	9

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Electrical Engineering Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Electrical Engineering graduates earn a median of $94,702 four years after completion — roughly 149% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Engineering	14
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	14.02
Agricultural Engineering	14.03
Architectural Engineering	14.04
Biochemical Engineering	14.43
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.45
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	14.05
Ceramic Sciences and Engineering	14.06
Chemical Engineering	14.07
Civil Engineering	14.08
Computer Engineering	14.09
Construction Engineering	14.33

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.