What Can You Do with an Electrical Engineering Degree?

Electrical engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and testing electrical equipment. Due to the broad field encompassed by electrical engineering, those working in the sector can deal with all manner of electrical devices, from supercomputers to calculators.

When someone earns an electrical engineering degree, the door is open to a large collection of lucrative and stimulating career paths in the engineering sector. According to research conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual pay in 2019 for electrical and electronics engineers was $101,250 on average – a figure that is almost triple the overall median salary in the United States. Jobs in the industry are not going to disappear anytime soon, either. Due to technology always expanding and evolving, the demand for electrical engineers is only going to grow.

If you’re not convinced yet, the following guide will explore the reasons to study for an electrical engineering major, the careers available, picking the right college, and more.

Should I study for a degree in electrical engineering?

Electrical engineering is a top subject choice for those who like to take devices apart, understand how they work, and put them back together. A degree is particularly enticing for those who have a keen interest in knowing how computers compute, and also for anyone with a passion for science and math.

A bachelor’s degree is essentially mandatory if you want to pursue a career in electrical engineering. When earning their degree, students learn an assortment of practical skills and fundamental engineering theories. Most electrical engineering programs also incorporate a mathematics element that teaches about detailed calculations utilized in the field. A number of transferable skills are also gained, including communication skills, project management, and critical thinking.

In addition to the skills you acquire, studying at college also opens the door to various networking and placement opportunities. Many educational institutions provide internships that can provide a practical experience – and a nice addition to your resume when job hunting.

What can I do with an electrical engineering degree?

When someone graduates with a bachelor’s in electrical engineering, they will often become professional electronics or electrical engineers – naturally. However, there are many areas of engineering that become available once you’re armed with a degree. This can include biomedical engineering, computer hardware engineering, and aerospace engineering. Below is a look at some examples of available jobs with an electrical engineering degree.

Electrical and electronics engineer

An electrical or electronic engineer is responsible for developing, designing, and testing an assortment of electrical systems and equipment. These can include GPS devices, electric motors, power-generation equipment, and communications systems.

As mentioned previously, the average wage for this position is over $100,000 annually. There will also be a steady market for electrical and electronics engineers for the foreseeable future, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects this particular job market’s outlook to increase by 3% from 2019 until 2029.

Architectural and engineering managers

An architectural and engineering manager takes on a supervisory role. Along with having to plan out various activities for their organizations, managers have to coordinate these activities and supervise staff members to ensure successful completion. Along with a bachelor’s, a prospective manager will tend to need extensive experience as an architect or engineer to land this position.

When it comes to an electrical engineering salary, becoming an architectural and engineering manager is one of the best-paid roles. As of September 2020, the median pay for this position was a healthy $148,021 per year. Like with electrical and electronics engineers, the job outlook for these managers is also anticipated to grow by 3% during the same timeframe.

Aerospace engineer

An aerospace engineer is a dream job for those who want to work with aircrafts. Engineers devise and test aircrafts, satellites, missiles, and spacecrafts. One of their primary tasks is to evaluate designs, which helps ensure those aforementioned products meet customer, environmental, and safety requirements.

On average, a US-based aerospace engineer receives $109,808 on an annual basis. The job outlook is expected to grow by 3% between 2019 and 2029.

These are just three examples. Here’s a list of other roles that directly relate to an electrical engineering degree:

• Acoustic consultant
• Broadcast engineer
• Design engineer
• CAD technician
• IT consultant
• Sound engineer
• Systems analyst
• Special effects technician

What can I expect from an electrical engineering program?

In general, an electrical engineering program supplies a comprehensive overview of the subject. The specifics, however, differ depending on the educational institution you select. The curriculum can vary significantly from one college to the other.

To open the door to specialized electrical engineering careers, certain courses will feature the following concentrations:

Electronics : This incorporates fundamental applications and theories of electronics engineering, how to design electronic devices, and learning to implement electrical components.

Power systems : Students learn about how various types of power systems function. This includes not only how to design and analyze these systems but also how to repair them when needed.

Photonics : This concentration teaches about laser systems and applications, optical imaging and sensing, and signal processing in real-time. Industries like energy generation and communications utilize photonic applications.

Computer engineering : This combines computer science with electrical engineering. This concentration prepares students to devise software and hardware systems.

Environmental applications : An ideal option for those passionate about the environment, environmental applications cover topics like hazardous waste engineering, water treatment, and digital signal processing.

The biggest decision to make

When compared to choosing a college, opting to study electrical engineering is a relatively easy decision to make. As mentioned previously, electrical engineering courses can differ dramatically depending on the institution.

Yet, the curriculum isn’t the only aspect you need to analyze. You also have to pay close attention to other aspects of college – most notably campus life. Fortunately, CampusReel has you covered in that regard. Over 15,000 videos, all student-made and discussing student life, are readily available for you to watch. They can provide a unique – and useful – insight into your college of choice.

To start watching these videos, simply signup for a CampusReel account – it’s free!