Electrical Engineering
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Types of Degrees Electrical Engineering Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many electrical engineering graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 8,658 |
Doctor’s Degree | 2,179 |
Graduate Certificate | 184 |
What Electrical Engineering Majors Need to Know
People with careers related to EE were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.
Knowledge Areas for EE Majors
This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:
- Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Skills for EE Majors
EE majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:
- 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.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Abilities for EE Majors
A major in EE will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
What Can You Do With a Electrical Engineering Major?
People with a EE degree often go into the following careers:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Aerospace Engineers | 6.0% | $115,220 |
Architectural and Engineering Managers | 5.5% | $140,760 |
Biochemical Engineers | 6.4% | $96,980 |
Electrical Engineers | 8.6% | $96,640 |
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 3.7% | $102,700 |
Engineering Professors | 14.7% | $101,720 |
Mechatronics Engineers | 6.4% | $96,980 |
Photonics Engineers | 6.4% | $96,980 |
Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists | 3.7% | $102,700 |
Validation Engineers | 6.4% | $96,980 |
Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of EE majors is as follows:
Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 740 |
Black or African American | 147 |
Hispanic or Latino | 330 |
White | 1,842 |
International Students | 5,294 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 305 |
Geographic Diversity
Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in EE. About 61.1% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:
- India
- China
- Saudi Arabia
- Iran
- South Korea
How Much Do Electrical Engineering Majors Make?
Master’s Degree Starting Salary
The median early-career salary of electrical engineering students with a master’s degree is $94,709 a year according to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $85,654 (25th percentile) and $100,444 (75th percentile).
It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in EE, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.
Salaries According to BLS
Average salaries range from $101,600 to $117,100 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to EE. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Electrical Engineering
Some careers associated with EE require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.
Find out what the typical degree level is for EE careers below.
Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 0.9% |
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) | 2.4% |
Some College Courses | 0.7% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 4.6% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 62.7% |
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. | 1.9% |
Master’s Degree | 17.4% |
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. | 1.0% |
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. | 0.4% |
Doctoral Degree | 6.8% |
Post-Doctoral Training | 1.0% |
Online Electrical Engineering Programs
In 2020-2021, 449 schools offered a EE program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
---|---|---|
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 0 | 0 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 6 | 0 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 0 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 52 | 2 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 51 | 13 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 0 | 0 |
Master’s Degree | 263 | 24 |
Post-Master’s | 15 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 163 | 1 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 1 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Electrical Engineering Worth It?
The median salary for a EE grad is $107,930 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 171% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,360,600 after 20 years!
Top Ranking Lists for Electrical Engineering
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Majors Related to Electrical Engineering
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to EE.
References
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
- Image Credit: By NASA under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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