Electrical Engineers
Electrical Engineers (SOC 17-2071) earn a median $120,630 a year ($58.00 an hour) in the United States, with 198,750 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Mexico.
What electrical engineers do
Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and oversee the manufacture and installation of electrical equipment, components, and systems used in commercial, industrial, military, and scientific settings. Their work covers instruments, equipment, facilities, components, and systems of many kinds. Typical tasks are designing, improving, and maintaining electrical instruments and facilities, running the detailed calculations that establish specifications for manufacturing, construction, or installation, and directing the people and documentation that support projects. They also keep project production on schedule and within budget and coordinate support, maintenance, and technical documentation. The occupation excludes computer hardware engineers, who work on computers and related equipment, and it differs from electronics engineers, who concentrate on smaller electronic circuits and components, as well as from electricians, who install and repair wiring rather than design systems. They also operate computer-assisted engineering or design software, investigate or test vendors' and competitors' products, and inspect completed installations to confirm they conform to the design.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Controls Engineer, Design Engineer, Circuits Engineer, Automation Engineer, Cable Engineer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $36.80 | $44.63 | $58.00 | $73.53 | $88.61 | $60.15 | 198,750 |
| Annual | $76,550 | $92,830 | $120,630 | $152,950 | $184,300 | $125,100 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where electrical engineers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Mexico | Hourly | $49.46 | $61.32 | $76.21 | $94.35 | $97.44 | $74.71 | 2,560 | 2.95 | 2.30 |
| Annual | $102,880 | $127,540 | $158,520 | $196,240 | $202,680 | $155,400 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $39.35 | $51.01 | $69.25 | $89.19 | $104.69 | $72.68 | 24,230 | 1.33 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $81,840 | $106,100 | $144,040 | $185,520 | $217,760 | $151,180 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $42.05 | $53.62 | $68.75 | $83.56 | $93.84 | $68.63 | 330 | 0.47 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $87,450 | $111,530 | $143,000 | $173,790 | $195,190 | $142,760 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $44.57 | $49.74 | $65.25 | $81.26 | $97.49 | $68.44 | 1,600 | 2.34 | 1.83 |
| Annual | $92,700 | $103,460 | $135,710 | $169,020 | $202,790 | $142,360 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $41.13 | $49.96 | $63.81 | $79.88 | $89.27 | $65.85 | 7,610 | 2.14 | 1.68 |
| Annual | $85,540 | $103,910 | $132,710 | $166,160 | $185,690 | $136,970 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $39.35 | $51.01 | $69.25 | $89.19 | $104.69 | $72.68 | 24,230 | 1.33 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $81,840 | $106,100 | $144,040 | $185,520 | $217,760 | $151,180 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $36.60 | $45.74 | $62.24 | $79.20 | $101.04 | $65.18 | 20,870 | 1.48 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $76,120 | $95,130 | $129,450 | $164,730 | $210,160 | $135,580 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $36.48 | $41.87 | $51.00 | $63.67 | $76.49 | $54.20 | 10,840 | 2.46 | 1.93 |
| Annual | $75,880 | $87,080 | $106,070 | $132,440 | $159,090 | $112,740 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $31.30 | $38.87 | $50.38 | $63.25 | $78.95 | $53.57 | 9,220 | 0.93 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $65,090 | $80,860 | $104,780 | $131,550 | $164,210 | $111,430 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $36.00 | $44.03 | $57.22 | $69.35 | $81.16 | $58.72 | 8,770 | 0.91 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $74,870 | $91,580 | $119,010 | $144,250 | $168,820 | $122,140 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $56.20 | $75.56 | $89.93 | $104.89 | $124.09 | $91.04 | 4,160 | 3.67 | 2.87 |
| Annual | $116,900 | $157,150 | $187,060 | $218,170 | $258,100 | $189,370 | ||||
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | Hourly | $38.16 | $46.43 | $80.29 | $83.94 | $90.88 | $66.83 | 50 | 0.53 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $79,380 | $96,570 | $167,010 | $174,600 | $189,030 | $139,010 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $46.87 | $59.96 | $79.82 | $98.31 | $105.32 | $77.97 | 2,470 | 1.04 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $97,500 | $124,720 | $166,030 | $204,490 | $219,070 | $162,170 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $46.12 | $53.46 | $79.27 | $79.27 | $96.99 | $71.47 | 100 | 0.46 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $95,940 | $111,200 | $164,880 | $164,880 | $201,740 | $148,660 | ||||
| Albuquerque, NM | Hourly | $50.11 | $63.33 | $78.71 | $97.44 | $97.44 | $76.07 | 1,280 | 3.16 | 2.47 |
| Annual | $104,230 | $131,720 | $163,720 | $202,680 | $202,680 | $158,230 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $38.09 | $49.89 | $67.20 | $86.31 | $100.70 | $70.08 | 8,970 | 1.43 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $79,230 | $103,770 | $139,780 | $179,520 | $209,460 | $145,760 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $39.15 | $48.36 | $61.70 | $76.38 | $82.23 | $62.36 | 6,290 | 0.66 | 0.52 |
| Annual | $81,440 | $100,600 | $128,340 | $158,880 | $171,030 | $129,720 | ||||
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | Hourly | $38.76 | $47.00 | $55.00 | $64.53 | $76.98 | $56.34 | 6,060 | 3.18 | 2.49 |
| Annual | $80,610 | $97,750 | $114,390 | $134,210 | $160,110 | $117,180 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $37.10 | $46.15 | $63.02 | $78.96 | $99.99 | $64.98 | 5,770 | 1.76 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $77,170 | $95,990 | $131,070 | $164,240 | $207,990 | $135,160 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $36.88 | $42.99 | $59.80 | $77.44 | $98.58 | $61.70 | 5,720 | 1.41 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $76,720 | $89,410 | $124,390 | $161,080 | $205,040 | $128,340 | ||||
Top industries employing electrical engineers
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services employ 23.9% of electrical engineers nationally (47,480 jobs) at a median $105,470 a year ($50.71 an hour), followed by Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (10.2%) and Scientific Research and Development Services (5.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 47,480 | 23.9% | $105,470 | $50.71 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution NAICS 221100 | 20,330 | 10.2% | $122,430 | $58.86 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 10,850 | 5.5% | $135,190 | $65.00 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 10,260 | 5.2% | $130,610 | $62.79 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing NAICS 334500 | 9,380 | 4.7% | $121,610 | $58.46 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (198,750). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $100,420 for electrical engineers in May 2021 and $120,630 in May 2025, with employment of 186,020 and 198,750.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $100,420 | $48.28 | 186,020 |
| May 2022 | $103,320 | $49.67 | 182,210 |
| May 2023 | $106,950 | $51.42 | 185,430 |
| May 2024 | $111,910 | $53.80 | 188,790 |
| May 2025 | $120,630 | $58.00 | 198,750 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico profile | $76.21 | $158,520 | $102,880 | $202,680 | 2,560 | 2.95 | 2.30 |
| 2 | California profile | $69.25 | $144,040 | $81,840 | $217,760 | 24,230 | 1.33 | 1.04 |
| 3 | District of Columbia profile | $68.75 | $143,000 | $87,450 | $195,190 | 330 | 0.47 | 0.37 |
| 4 | New Hampshire profile | $65.25 | $135,710 | $92,700 | $202,790 | 1,600 | 2.34 | 1.83 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $63.81 | $132,710 | $85,540 | $185,690 | 7,610 | 2.14 | 1.68 |
| 6 | Texas profile | $62.24 | $129,450 | $76,120 | $210,160 | 20,870 | 1.48 | 1.16 |
| 7 | Idaho profile | $62.18 | $129,340 | $77,070 | $165,410 | 1,000 | 1.17 | 0.91 |
| 8 | Massachusetts profile | $61.40 | $127,720 | $78,140 | $176,470 | 5,040 | 1.39 | 1.08 |
| 9 | Delaware profile | $61.04 | $126,970 | $83,600 | $152,060 | 660 | 1.37 | 1.07 |
| 10 | Alaska profile | $60.56 | $125,970 | $82,360 | $177,110 | 350 | 1.06 | 0.83 |
| 11 | Alabama profile | $60.40 | $125,630 | $77,840 | $180,220 | 4,600 | 2.18 | 1.70 |
| 12 | New Jersey profile | $60.27 | $125,370 | $80,630 | $174,450 | 2,940 | 0.69 | 0.54 |
| 13 | Oregon profile | $60.17 | $125,160 | $83,500 | $166,240 | 2,540 | 1.29 | 1.01 |
| 14 | Maryland profile | $60.17 | $125,150 | $76,650 | $194,810 | 4,650 | 1.68 | 1.32 |
| 15 | Louisiana profile | $59.48 | $123,710 | $77,210 | $178,330 | 990 | 0.51 | 0.40 |
| 16 | Colorado profile | $58.06 | $120,760 | $81,720 | $177,310 | 4,200 | 1.46 | 1.14 |
| 17 | Virginia profile | $57.23 | $119,030 | $80,320 | $173,400 | 7,260 | 1.77 | 1.38 |
| 18 | New York profile | $57.22 | $119,010 | $74,870 | $168,820 | 8,770 | 0.91 | 0.71 |
| 19 | Missouri profile | $57.06 | $118,670 | $77,620 | $166,710 | 2,410 | 0.82 | 0.64 |
| 20 | Maine profile | $55.11 | $114,620 | $78,930 | $161,230 | 1,150 | 1.79 | 1.40 |
| 21 | West Virginia profile | $54.53 | $113,420 | $76,830 | $156,250 | 500 | 0.71 | 0.55 |
| 22 | Wyoming profile | $53.72 | $111,740 | $60,760 | $146,990 | 280 | 1.00 | 0.78 |
| 23 | Vermont profile | $53.51 | $111,310 | $81,040 | $175,710 | 820 | 2.69 | 2.11 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania profile | $53.28 | $110,820 | $77,650 | $167,260 | 6,970 | 1.15 | 0.90 |
| 25 | North Dakota profile | $53.28 | $110,810 | $77,350 | $155,520 | 260 | 0.60 | 0.47 |
| 26 | North Carolina profile | $52.95 | $110,130 | $66,800 | $203,490 | 7,090 | 1.43 | 1.12 |
| 27 | Minnesota profile | $52.65 | $109,510 | $78,750 | $167,030 | 3,150 | 1.07 | 0.84 |
| 28 | Illinois profile | $51.85 | $107,860 | $75,470 | $164,290 | 5,460 | 0.90 | 0.70 |
| 29 | Oklahoma profile | $51.81 | $107,760 | $74,060 | $187,140 | 2,080 | 1.22 | 0.96 |
| 30 | Nevada profile | $51.64 | $107,400 | $77,000 | $167,330 | 1,100 | 0.71 | 0.56 |
| 31 | Nebraska profile | $51.57 | $107,260 | $66,820 | $135,270 | 1,060 | 1.03 | 0.81 |
| 32 | Hawaii profile | $51.13 | $106,350 | $73,890 | $156,580 | 1,080 | 1.72 | 1.35 |
| 33 | Michigan profile | $51.00 | $106,070 | $75,880 | $159,090 | 10,840 | 2.46 | 1.93 |
| 34 | Iowa profile | $50.87 | $105,820 | $76,720 | $155,460 | 1,280 | 0.82 | 0.64 |
| 35 | Utah profile | $50.83 | $105,720 | $77,100 | $171,580 | 1,680 | 0.97 | 0.76 |
| 36 | Mississippi profile | $50.48 | $104,990 | $60,130 | $156,140 | 1,130 | 0.97 | 0.76 |
| 37 | Florida profile | $50.38 | $104,780 | $65,090 | $164,210 | 9,220 | 0.93 | 0.73 |
| 38 | Tennessee profile | $50.21 | $104,450 | $73,850 | $166,210 | 2,830 | 0.86 | 0.68 |
| 39 | Connecticut profile | $50.08 | $104,160 | $82,300 | $162,290 | 2,930 | 1.73 | 1.35 |
| 40 | Indiana profile | $49.36 | $102,670 | $69,290 | $152,480 | 4,000 | 1.25 | 0.98 |
| 41 | Kansas profile | $49.34 | $102,630 | $72,230 | $159,650 | 2,100 | 1.46 | 1.14 |
| 42 | Ohio profile | $48.38 | $100,620 | $72,690 | $149,390 | 6,360 | 1.15 | 0.90 |
| 43 | Arizona profile | $48.34 | $100,550 | $75,560 | $165,510 | 5,370 | 1.66 | 1.30 |
| 44 | Wisconsin profile | $47.93 | $99,700 | $74,850 | $132,990 | 3,550 | 1.21 | 0.94 |
| 45 | South Dakota profile | $47.59 | $98,980 | $69,580 | $138,210 | 530 | 1.16 | 0.91 |
| 46 | Kentucky profile | $47.38 | $98,550 | $63,270 | $138,460 | 1,540 | 0.77 | 0.60 |
| 47 | South Carolina profile | $47.33 | $98,440 | $69,260 | $156,330 | 3,490 | 1.51 | 1.18 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $46.57 | $96,860 | $67,920 | $136,770 | 900 | 0.69 | 0.54 |
| 49 | Montana profile | $42.00 | $87,360 | $72,910 | $133,180 | 790 | 1.54 | 1.21 |
| – | Georgia profile | * | * | * | * | 5,950 | 1.22 | 0.95 |
| – | Rhode Island profile | * | * | * | * | 670 | 1.34 | 1.05 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (17-2070), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Architecture and Engineering Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 17-2071 Electrical Engineers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 17-2071, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-2071.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.