What Does it Take to Be an Electrical Engineering Technician?
Job Description: Test or modify developmental or operational electrical machinery or electrical control equipment and circuitry in industrial or commercial plants or laboratories. Usually work under direction of engineers or technologists.
Life As an Electrical Engineering Technician: What Do They Do?
- Build, calibrate, maintain, troubleshoot, or repair electrical instruments or testing equipment.
- Prepare, review, or coordinate ongoing modifications to contract specifications or plans.
- Write engineering specifications to clarify design details or functional criteria of experimental electronics units.
- Assemble or test solar photovoltaic products, such as inverters or energy management systems.
- Prepare electrical project cost or work-time estimates.
- Evaluate engineering proposals, shop drawings, or design comments for sound electrical engineering practice or conformance with established safety or design criteria.
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Skills Needed to be an Electrical Engineering Technician
These are the skills Electrical Engineering Technicians 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.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
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.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Types of Electrical Engineering Technician
- E & I Technician (Electrical and Instrumentation Technician)
- Equipment Specialist
- Lighting Specialist
- Light Technician
- Engineer
What Kind of Electrical Engineering Technician Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 137,000 jobs for Electrical Engineering Technician in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 2% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 2,800 new jobs for Electrical Engineering Technician by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 12,000 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Electrical Engineering Technician are Nevada, Utah, and Wisconsin. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Kentucky, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Electrical Engineering Technician Salary
Electrical Engineering Technicians make between $38,110 and $95,140 a year.

Electrical Engineering Technicians who work in Alaska, District of Columbia, or Vermont, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Electrical Engineering Technicians in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $61,120 |
Alaska | $82,770 |
Arizona | $63,550 |
Arkansas | $60,950 |
California | $67,700 |
Colorado | $71,860 |
Connecticut | $65,630 |
Delaware | $56,680 |
District of Columbia | $83,330 |
Florida | $58,500 |
Georgia | $66,210 |
Hawaii | $72,390 |
Idaho | $57,290 |
Illinois | $67,390 |
Indiana | $62,730 |
Iowa | $64,000 |
Kansas | $65,270 |
Kentucky | $61,880 |
Louisiana | $54,980 |
Maine | $63,380 |
Maryland | $72,810 |
Massachusetts | $66,350 |
Michigan | $59,040 |
Minnesota | $61,320 |
Mississippi | $64,070 |
Missouri | $60,650 |
Montana | $67,370 |
Nebraska | $59,220 |
Nevada | $68,920 |
New Hampshire | $59,160 |
New Jersey | $68,740 |
New Mexico | $64,650 |
New York | $65,310 |
North Carolina | $61,080 |
North Dakota | $67,860 |
Ohio | $61,040 |
Oklahoma | $68,500 |
Oregon | $64,220 |
Pennsylvania | $56,240 |
Rhode Island | $69,760 |
South Carolina | $60,670 |
South Dakota | $54,190 |
Tennessee | $56,480 |
Texas | $67,870 |
Utah | $60,490 |
Vermont | $83,540 |
Virginia | $70,750 |
Washington | $72,820 |
West Virginia | $67,960 |
Wisconsin | $54,290 |
Wyoming | $74,500 |
What Tools do Electrical Engineering Technicians Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Electrical Engineering Technicians may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Python
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Spreadsheet software
- Database software
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- Microsoft Visual Basic
- Computer aided design CAD software
- National Instruments LabVIEW
- C
How do I Become an Electrical Engineering Technician?
Are there Electrical Engineering Technicians education requirements?

What work experience do I need to become an Electrical Engineering Technician?

Electrical Engineering Technicians Sector

Below are examples of industries where Electrical Engineering Technicians work:

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being an Electrical Engineering Technician may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as an Electrical Engineering Technician sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
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