Electrical Engineering Salaries State By State

Let’s Discover Electrical Engineering Salaries State By State

Electrical engineering is one of the leading engineering fields that will remain in demand for a very long time, and it’s easy to bet that electrical engineers will continue to stand out as one of the most sought-after engineers across many industries over the next decade.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), electrical and electronics engineers have a seven percent job outlook for the years between 2016 and 2026. So, companies are looking to hire professionals for electrical engineering jobs.

Therefore, it's important to know what a typical electrical engineering salary looks like in the state you plan to move to or live in. Here's what you need to know:

How Much is the Average Entry-Level Electrical Engineering Salary?

As one of the top industries for high paying jobs, pursuing a degree in electrical engineering provides an excellent career path with multiple sub-categories and doctoral specialties.

Electrical engineers just starting out in their career earn an average of $68,237 per year, according to PayScale. But more than one factor will impact your earning potential. This will also affect how much you can expect from an entry-level electrical engineering job and how much you can negotiate during a job interview.

Other factors will include your ability to learn a new skill, education level, the location of work, and prior relevant experience. For example, your salary will go up if your job requires you to work on modern electronics and complex satellite or communication systems.

As a matter of fact, electrical engineers made a median annual salary of $96,640 in 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics; while Electronics engineers made an even higher median annual salary of $102,700.

What is the Average Median Salary of an Electrical Engineer?

The average electrical engineering salary varies state by state; different roles pay differently, and different companies pay based on various scales and matrices. As well, the sources who gather this data also report different numbers and results.

According to Indeed, the average annual salary that electrical engineers make is $85,678, which is derived from 18,207 employees and users, and through data gathered by past and present job advertisements.

However, PayScale mentions lower average earnings for electrical engineering with a salary of $73,756 per year.

According to Paysa, electrical engineers can earn an average yearly salary ranging from $87,318 to $110,141; with the average salary being $99,531, and top 10% of earners making more than $122,274 per year. These compensation results were developed by gathering and analyzing data from 71,000 career profiles.

There are several different career paths you can take when you graduate with a degree in electrical engineering. That's because electrical engineers can work in various sectors such as research and development, engineering design and manufacturing, the federal government, and many more industries.

Some career paths for electrical engineers include design, development, and management of the manufacturing of consumer and electronic products, including electric motors, communication systems, robotics and automation systems, and power generation equipment and the development of any technology-oriented device or solution.

Which Industries are in Most Demand?

Top three industries seeking to fill electrical engineering jobs are Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution, Electrical Equipment Manufacturing, and Communications Equipment Manufacturing.

Data from the  Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2018 Report highlights that some of the top-paying industries for electrical engineers include Oil and Gas Extraction, Mining, and Independent Consulting, followed by Data Processing & Analysis and Business Support Services. According to Paysa, the top employers of electrical engineers are Google, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Apple, and Fitbit.

You can find electrical engineering jobs in almost every state in the USA. But the top states hiring electrical engineers include California, Texas, New York, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, according to the above report. In fact, electrical engineers may find jobs in states such as Alaska, New Jersey, District of Columbia, Maryland, and Vermont, due to their high annual earning potential. For instance, a typical electrical engineering salary in Alaska averaged $119,130, while electrical engineers Vermont made $115,460.

Some of the top-paying metropolitan areas with the highest salary for electrical engineering jobs include: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($132,740); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($123,810); and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($117,580).

Electrical Engineer Salaries State-by-State

Electrical engineering jobs offer different salaries in each state. For instance, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics’ 2018 Occupational Employment and Wages Report indicates that the average per hour rate for electrical engineers in California was $54.89 compared to an hourly mean wage of $42.24 for electrical engineers who worked in Georgia.

On the other hand, electrical engineers made an average hourly wage of $51.09 in Arizona and $45.61 in Pennsylvania 2018. So, the state you work in can play an important role in impacting your earning potential as an electrical engineer.

Here are the typical annual salaries electrical engineers make on average across the country, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2018 data:

Final Thoughts

With the growing technology and innovations sector, electrical and electronics engineers will continue to be in demand. The great part about pursuing a career in electrical and electronics engineering is that you can count on steady job opportunities and a higher-than-average salary than most other jobs in the USA.

Education plays a big role in how much money you’re going to make; so does your industry-specific knowledge. So if you are interested and ambitious to further educate yourself, there are many great courses taught by industry experts and famous professors, such as Richard Wolfson Ph.D, of Dartmouth College, who teaches a great course on Understanding Modern Electronics. Professor Wolfson discusses why “Physics explains the workings of the universe at the deepest level, the everyday natural phenomena that are all around us, and the technologies that enable modern society."

Regardless of how educated you are, it's just as important to consider the impact that your work location has on your salary. By reviewing electrical engineering salaries state-by-state, you can have better insight into the typical salary for electrical engineers in the location you plan to work.