How much do electrical engineers make?

Electrical Engineer salary 2026 · BLS occupation: Electrical Engineers (SOC 17-2071) · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

Electrical engineers in the US earned a median of $120,630 a year ($58.00 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $92,830 to $152,950.

Median annual pay: $120,630; Mean $125,100
Median hourly pay: $58.00; Mean $60.15
Typical range (10th–90th): $76.5K–$184K; $76,550 to $184,300
US jobs: 198,750; +9.9% projected, 2025–35

BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology

How to become an electrical engineer: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: New Mexico

Electrical Engineer pay range

Annual wages, May 2025

10th percentile$76,550
25th percentile$92,830
Median$120,630
75th percentile$152,950
90th percentile$184,300

Half of all electrical engineers earned more than $120,630 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $76,550; the top 10% made over $184,300. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $92,830 to $152,950.

These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.

Percentile	Annual	Hourly	Monthly
10th	$76,550	$36.80	$6,379
25th	$92,830	$44.63	$7,736
Median (50th)	$120,630	$58.00	$10,053
75th	$152,950	$73.53	$12,746
90th	$184,300	$88.61	$15,358
Mean (average)	$125,100	$60.15	$10,425

Electrical Engineer salary by state

Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024

Median annual pay for electrical engineers by state. Darker tiles pay more. A dash means BLS did not publish a figure.

Highest-paying states

1. New Mexico $158,520
2. California $144,040
3. District of Columbia $143,000
4. New Hampshire $135,710
5. Washington $132,710

Lowest-paying states

49. Montana $87,360
48. Arkansas $96,860
47. South Carolina $98,440
46. Kentucky $98,550
45. South Dakota $98,980

Best after cost of living: New Mexico. Its median of $158,520 is worth about $171,908 at national-average prices.


Alabama	$125,630	11	$141,439	2	$60.40	4,600	2.18
Alaska	$125,970	10	$123,067	14	$60.56	350	1.06
Arizona	$100,550	43	$99,874	47	$48.34	5,370	1.66
Arkansas	$96,860	48	$111,414	33	$46.57	900	0.69
California	$144,040	2	$130,094	9	$69.25	24,230	1.33
Colorado	$120,760	16	$117,184	25	$58.06	4,200	1.46
Connecticut	$104,160	39	$100,531	46	$50.08	2,930	1.73
Delaware	$126,970	9	$127,214	10	$61.04	660	1.37
District of Columbia	$143,000	3	$130,117	8	$68.75	330	0.47
Florida	$104,780	37	$101,321	45	$50.38	9,220	0.93
Georgia	—	—	—	—	—	5,950	1.22
Hawaii	$106,350	32	$96,725	48	$51.13	1,080	1.72
Idaho	$129,340	7	$135,443	4	$62.18	1,000	1.17
Illinois	$107,860	28	$107,905	40	$51.85	5,460	0.90
Indiana	$102,670	40	$110,009	37	$49.36	4,000	1.25
Iowa	$105,820	34	$120,576	19	$50.87	1,280	0.82
Kansas	$102,630	41	$113,947	28	$49.34	2,100	1.46
Kentucky	$98,550	46	$109,307	38	$47.38	1,540	0.77
Louisiana	$123,710	15	$140,250	3	$59.48	990	0.51
Maine	$114,620	20	$118,104	23	$55.11	1,150	1.79
Maryland	$125,150	14	$119,237	21	$60.17	4,650	1.68
Massachusetts	$127,720	8	$120,767	17	$61.40	5,040	1.39
Michigan	$106,070	33	$110,240	36	$51.00	10,840	2.46
Minnesota	$109,510	27	$111,041	34	$52.65	3,150	1.07
Mississippi	$104,990	36	$120,743	18	$50.48	1,130	0.97
Missouri	$118,670	19	$130,669	6	$57.06	2,410	0.82
Montana	$87,360	49	$92,303	49	$42.00	790	1.54
Nebraska	$107,260	31	$119,042	22	$51.57	1,060	1.03
Nevada	$107,400	30	$107,423	41	$51.64	1,100	0.71
New Hampshire	$135,710	4	$130,284	7	$65.25	1,600	2.34
New Jersey	$125,370	12	$115,224	27	$60.27	2,940	0.69
New Mexico	$158,520	1	$171,908	1	$76.21	2,560	2.94
New York	$119,010	18	$110,275	35	$57.22	8,770	0.91
North Carolina	$110,130	26	$116,755	26	$52.95	7,090	1.43
North Dakota	$110,810	25	$124,563	12	$53.28	260	0.60
Ohio	$100,620	42	$108,457	39	$48.38	6,360	1.15
Oklahoma	$107,760	29	$122,673	15	$51.81	2,080	1.22
Oregon	$125,160	13	$121,090	16	$60.17	2,540	1.29
Pennsylvania	$110,820	24	$113,578	31	$53.28	6,970	1.15
Rhode Island	—	—	—	—	—	670	1.34
South Carolina	$98,440	47	$105,004	44	$47.33	3,490	1.51
South Dakota	$98,980	45	$111,733	32	$47.59	530	1.16
Tennessee	$104,450	38	$113,693	29	$50.21	2,830	0.86
Texas	$129,450	6	$133,375	5	$62.24	20,870	1.48
Utah	$105,720	35	$106,935	42	$50.83	1,680	0.97
Vermont	$111,310	23	$113,630	30	$53.51	820	2.69
Virginia	$119,030	17	$117,730	24	$57.23	7,260	1.77
Washington	$132,710	5	$124,013	13	$63.81	7,610	2.14
West Virginia	$113,420	21	$126,731	11	$54.53	500	0.71
Wisconsin	$99,700	44	$105,957	43	$47.93	3,550	1.21
Wyoming	$111,740	22	$120,551	20	$53.72	280	1.00

BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure (2 states). State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.

Best-paying metro areas for electrical engineers

315 metro areas with published pay

Highest median pay
Metro area	Median	Adjusted	Jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$187,060	$169,403	4,160
Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA	$167,010	$180,111	50
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$166,030	$143,608	2,470
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$164,880	$152,973	100
Albuquerque, NM	$163,720	$171,352	1,280
Vallejo, CA	$160,060	$147,549	150
Manchester-Nashua, NH	$159,360	$150,828	1,050
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$145,360	$148,227	4,070
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$140,210	$126,164	4,930
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$139,780	$123,083	8,970

Most jobs
Metro area	Jobs	Median	Adjusted
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	8,970	$139,780	$123,083
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	6,290	$128,340	$114,016
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	6,060	$114,390	$114,050
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	5,770	$131,070	$132,892
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	5,720	$124,390	$120,662
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	4,930	$140,210	$126,164
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	4,450	$126,420	$116,105
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	4,290	$113,520	$109,581
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	4,160	$187,060	$169,403
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	4,070	$145,360	$148,227

BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).

What moves electrical engineer pay: employers and settings

Industry makes a clear difference. In our data, aerospace product and parts manufacturing pays a median of $141,160 and scientific research and development services pays $135,190 while architectural and engineering consulting firms, the largest employer, pay $105,470. Utilities in power generation, transmission and distribution come in at $122,430 and corporate headquarters (management of companies) at $130,610.

Federal and local government jobs pay more than private ones. Federal government electrical engineers have a median of $127,650 and local government $125,830 against $120,070 at private employers; state government is lower at $115,330.

Location moves pay as well. New Mexico has the highest state median at $158,520, followed by California at $144,040, the District of Columbia at $143,000, then New Hampshire and Washington. Montana is lowest at $87,360. Across all electrical engineers, pay runs from $76,550, the 10th percentile, to $184,300, the 90th; that spread mixes industry, state, specialty and responsibility, not only years worked. A Professional Engineer license matters most in consulting and utility work, where a PE is needed to seal drawings, and senior roles that lead teams or projects usually pay toward the top of the range.

Where electrical engineers work
Industry	Share of jobs	Median pay
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	23.9%	$105,470
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	10.2%	$122,430
Scientific Research and Development Services	5.5%	$135,190
Management of Companies and Enterprises	5.2%	$130,610
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	4.7%	$121,610
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	4.5%	$141,160

Private employers and government
Employer type	Jobs	Median pay
Private employers	187,880	$120,070
Federal government (incl. Postal Service)	5,530	$127,650
State government (incl. schools and hospitals)	2,030	$115,330
Local government (incl. schools and hospitals)	3,320	$125,830

BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).

Electrical Engineer pay over time

Median annual pay, 2015–2025

$121K $93.0K

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Nominal median (dollars of each year)In May 2025 dollars (adjusted with CPI-U)

The median rose from $93,010 in 2015 to $120,630 in 2025, up 30% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $125,731 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay fell 4% over the period.

BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.

What electrical engineers do

An electrical engineer designs and tests the systems that generate, move and use electricity, from substation layouts and building power plans to motor drives, control panels, radar and the wiring inside cars and aircraft. Most of the work is analysis and documentation: sizing conductors and transformers, running load-flow and short-circuit studies, drawing one-line diagrams and schematics, and writing the specifications that contractors and technicians build from.

The biggest employer group is engineering consulting firms, which hold 23.9% of the jobs in our data. Utilities that generate, transmit and distribute power hold another 10.2%, and the rest are spread across research labs, instrument makers, aerospace manufacturers and corporate offices. The job is mostly desk work at a computer, with site visits to check an installation, test equipment or chase down a fault. Electrical engineers work alongside mechanical and civil engineers, drafters, electricians, technicians and the client's own staff, and most work a full-time schedule.

A typical day

Work out what a system must do, then size breakers, cables, transformers and protection to match
Build schematics, one-line diagrams and panel layouts in CAD or circuit design software
Run calculations and simulations for load, voltage drop, fault current and arc-flash hazard
Test prototypes or installed equipment and trace why something tripped, overheated or failed
Write specifications and pick vendors' equipment for purchase
Answer contractor questions and walk job sites to check that work follows the drawings and electrical codes
Write test reports and maintenance documents for clients and operators

Also called: electrical engineering, circuits engineer, design engineer, electrical controls engineer, electrical design engineer, electrical project engineer, engineer, instrumentation and electrical reliability engineer (i&e reliability engineer).

How to become an electrical engineer

Full guide

To become an electrical engineer, you earn a 4-year bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, ideally from an ABET-accredited program, and start work right away; no license is needed for entry-level jobs. Engineers who want to seal drawings or offer services to the public later pass the FE and PE exams and get a state Professional Engineer license, usually after about 4 years of experience.

Typical time: 4 years to start; about 8 years to a PE license; Fastest: 4 years
Minimum education: Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a related engineering field (ABET-accredited preferred)
License: Not required for entry-level jobs; a state Professional Engineer (PE) license is required to seal plans or offer engineering services to the public
Typical training cost: $45.2K–$45.8K; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming an electrical engineer: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: 4 years to start; about 8 years to a PE license; Typical path in our guide
Training cost: $45.2K–$45.8K; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $120,630; $69,650 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 37–38%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

Once qualified, the pay difference over the typical US job at the median ($69,650 a year before tax) would repay the training cost in less than a year after training ends (4 years to start; about 8 years to a pe license in our guide). This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for electrical engineers

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: +9.9%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 199,700; 219,500 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 11,400; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: 0.5%; Not in the pay figures above

BLS projects electrical engineer jobs to grow 9.9% from 2025 to 2035, from 199,700 to 219,500, close to three times the 3.5% rate for all occupations. It expects about 11,400 openings a year, many from engineers who retire or change fields.

The reason is infrastructure and new technology: utilities are upgrading aging grids, and solar, semiconductor and communications projects all need people who can design and check electrical systems. Very few electrical engineers are self-employed (0.5%), so nearly all of these openings are salaried jobs.

Related careers and their pay

Mechanical Engineer$104,110
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$130,220
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,190
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$74,090
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,510

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Electrical Engineer salary FAQ

How much do electrical engineers make an hour?

The median hourly wage for electrical engineers was $58.00 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36.80 an hour and the highest-paid 10% more than $88.61. Hourly figures are BLS estimates for all workers in the occupation, full-time and part-time.

Which state pays electrical engineers the most?

New Mexico has the highest median pay for electrical engineers, $158,520 a year, followed by California ($144,040) and District of Columbia ($143,000). After adjusting for each state's price level, New Mexico comes out ahead at about $171,908 in national-average dollars.

Do electrical engineers make $200,000 a year?

Few do: based on the BLS percentiles, fewer than 10% of electrical engineers earn more than $200,000 a year. The median is $120,630, and the top 10% earn more than $184,300. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.

What is the difference between an electrical and an electronics engineer?

BLS counts them as two occupations. Electrical engineers focus on power and larger systems: motors, generators, building and utility power, and the electrical systems of vehicles and aircraft. Electronics engineers work on circuits and components inside products such as communications gear and sonar. The work overlaps, many people hold the same degree, and they often work on the same projects. This page uses data for electrical engineers only.

Has electrical engineer pay kept up with inflation?

Not quite. The median rose from $93,010 in 2015 to $120,630 in 2025, but the 2015 median was worth $125,731 in 2025 dollars. So after inflation, the typical electrical engineer earns slightly less than ten years ago. This compares the whole occupation's median in each year, not the pay history of individual engineers, whose raises depend on their own employer and role.

Which states have the most electrical engineering jobs?

California leads with 24,230 electrical engineers, then Texas with 20,870, Michigan with 10,840, Florida with 9,220 and New York with 8,770. Those five states account for more than a third of all electrical engineering jobs in our data. After adjusting for living costs, New Mexico comes out best, at $171,908.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 17-2071
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (17-2071.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
Licensure, National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying · checked October 28, 2026
FE exam, National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying · checked October 28, 2026
PE Electrical and Computer exams, National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying · checked October 28, 2026
Find ABET-Accredited Programs, ABET · checked October 28, 2026
License Finder, CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor · checked October 28, 2026
Model Law (August 2025), National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying · checked October 28, 2026
NCEES Examinee Guide (May 2026), National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying · checked October 28, 2026
FE Electrical and Computer CBT Exam Specifications, National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying · checked October 28, 2026

Careers and Salaries is not affiliated with the Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Found an error? Tell us; corrections are listed on the editorial policy page.