Electrical Engineers in Iowa
Want to work as an Electrical Engineers in Iowa? Here’s what the data says. 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 Iowa?
For electrical engineers working in Iowa, wages run about $107,270 per year (or roughly $51.57/hour).Pay can range from $76,610 at the 10th percentile to $181,360 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $76,610 | $36.83 |
| 25th percentile | $95,640 | $45.98 |
| Median (50th) | $107,270 | $51.57 |
| 75th percentile | $129,580 | $62.30 |
| 90th percentile | $181,360 | $87.19 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Iowa nationwide is 0.65, indicating fewer electrical engineers per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, electrical engineers earn a median of $127,814 per year ($61.45/hour), below the Iowa median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 176,960 electrical engineers across the United States. In Iowa alone, around 1,250 people work in this role. That trails the typical state, which employs around 2,320 electrical engineers.
Top Iowa Metros for Electrical Engineers
The metro areas below employ the most electrical engineers in Iowa.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 380 | $110,350 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 250 | $103,790 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 240 | $107,250 |
| Dubuque, IA | 60 | $103,670 |
| Ames, IA | 40 | $106,450 |
| Iowa City, IA | 40 | $103,990 |
Top States for Electrical Engineers Employment
These states have the highest employment of 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
The highest-paying states for 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
The most important electrical engineers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key 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
Common tasks include:
- 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
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: 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
Related occupations 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