What Is the Average Electrical Engineer Salary?
Electrical Engineering is such a diverse field that even a simple bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering can help you land a job anywhere around the globe! It is because most leading companies are always on the lookout for skilled engineers. After all, the fundamental values of electrical applications, maths, and physics are universal.
Moreover, Electrical engineers are well compensated in the advanced stages of their professions when they are just stepping into the industry and have little job experience.
This article will give you a deeper look at the average Electrical Engineer Salary in the multiple phases of their careers. Furthermore, we will also discuss the essential skills that can affect an electrical engineer’s salary.
Let’s get started.
Average Electrical Engineer Salary by Experience Level in the US
Let’s take a look at how much electrical engineers earn based on their experience level:
1. Entry Level
On average, an entry-level electrical engineer’s salary is around $68,845 per year. This is in case the electrical engineer has less than one year of experience. Incentives and overtime wages are all included in the total compensation.
2. Early Career
The average electrical engineer’s salary in the early career stage is around $74,206 per year. It is in case the electrical engineer has about four-five years of experience.
3. Mid Career
On average, the electrical engineer’s annual salary in the mid-career stage is $86,659. In this case, the electrical engineer has about five-nine years of experience under their belt.
4. Late Career
The average electrical engineer’s salary in the late-career stage is approximately $101,042 annually. In this case, the electrical engineer possesses immense experience of ten-nineteen years.
5. Experienced
Those electrical engineers who have experience of more than 20 years can expect to earn up to $116,684 per year on average.
Skills That Affect Electrical Engineer Salaries
The following skills can affect the annual average electrical engineer’s salary:
- Algorithm Development
- Computer Security
- Software Architecture
- Satellite Communications
- Wireless Data Communications
- Telecommunications
Algorithm Development
Electrical engineers with algorithm development skills can earn 47% higher salaries than their median annual income. It translates into an average yearly salary of $115,000.
Electrical engineers’ starting salary with this skill is $101,000 annually, ranging up to around $138,000.
Computer Security
Electrical engineers with computer security skills can expect a 35% increment in their average annual incomes. It means that they can earn around $105,500 per year on average.
Software Architecture
Possessing software architecture skills can affect electrical engineers’ salaries by 27%, making them earn about $99,470 per year on average.
The starting average electrical engineer’s salary with this skill is $89,000 per year. On the other hand, the most experienced electrical engineers with software architecture skills can make up to $104,000 per year.
Satellite Communications
Electrical engineers with satellite communication skills can expect a 35% increment in their average annual salaries. Thus, they can earn around $105,682 per year on average.
On average, the electrical engineers’ annual salary with this skill starts from $98,000 and can go up to around $117,000.
Wireless Data Communications
The skills of wireless data communications can increase electrical engineers’ salaries by 24%. So, an engineer with this skill’s median base income is estimated to be around $96,617 per year.
Electrical engineers’ starting salary with this skill is $87,000 per year on average and can go up to approximately $101,000.
Telecommunications
Electrical engineers with telecommunications skills have an average salary of $100,085 annually, 28% more than their median annual incomes.
The starting electrical engineer’s annual salary with this skill is $51,000 on average. However, the most experienced electrical engineers with telecommunications skills can make up to $128,000 annually.
Popular Skills for Electrical Engineers
Here is a list of the most popular skills that an electrical engineer must have:
1. Engineering Design
Electrical engineers with engineering design skills have an average salary of $78,134 per year.
Entry-level electrical engineers’ salary with this skill is around $61,000 annually. On the other hand, the most experienced electrical engineers with engineering design skills can make up to $115,000 per year.
2. Project Management
Electrical engineers with project management skills have a median income of $81,381 per year.
Electrical engineers’ starting salary with this skill is $62,000 annually, ranging up to about $123,000.
3. Microsoft Excel
The average electrical engineer’s salary is $75,188 annually if they have Microsoft excel skills.
With this skill, entry-level electrical engineers’ salary is around $59,000 annually, while the most experienced electrical engineers can make up to $108,000 annually.
4. Autodesk AutoCAD
Electrical engineers with Autodesk AutoCAD skills can earn a median annual income of $73,323.
On average, the electrical engineers’ annual salary with this skill starts from $58,000 and can go up to around $100,000.
5. Microsoft Office
Electrical engineers with Microsoft Office skills have an average pay of $75,360 per year.
The starting average electrical engineer’s salary with this skill is $59,000 per year. However, the most experienced electrical engineers with Microsoft office skills can make up $107,000 annually.
Salaries of Electrical Engineers in Different Cities in the US
Following are the average annual electrical engineer salaries in different cities in the United States:
| NAME OF CITY | AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY |
| Houston, Texas | $84,246 |
| Los Angeles, California | $86,947 |
| San Diego, California | $90,745 |
| Huntsville, Alabama | $77,781 |
| Chicago, Illinois | $77,263 |
| Minneapolis, Minnesota | $72,270 |
| Denver, Colorado | $81,549 |
| Boston, Massachusetts | $83,682 |
| Atlanta, Georgia | $76,899 |
| Seattle, Washington | $87,560 |
| Tucson, Arizona | $78,449 |
| St. Louis, Missouri | $75,067 |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | $75,288 |
| Orlando, Florida | $70,749 |
| Phoenix, Arizona | $79,475 |
| Portland, Oregon | $78,928 |
| Raleigh, North Carolina | $81,734 |
| Washington, District of Columbia | $89,663 |
| Salt Lake City, Utah | $77,131 |
| Columbus, Ohio | $74,197 |
Top Companies for Electrical Engineers
The following companies offer the highest paying electrical engineering jobs in the USA:
- Northrop Grumman Corporation
- Raytheon Co.
- The Boeing Company
- Lockheed Martin Corp
- L3Harris
- Raytheon Missile Systems
- Harris Corporation
- Jacobs Engineering Group Inc
- Burns & Mcdonnell
- Power Engineers, Inc.
- Black and Veatch
- Rockwell Collins, Inc.
- BAE Systems Inc.
- Intel Corporation
- Aecom Technology Group, Inc.
- Duke Energy Corp
- Dynetics, Inc.
- American Electric Power (AEP)
- WSP Global Inc.
- Aecom Corporation
Conclusion
The demand for electrical engineers who design, comprehend, and build electrical control systems has increased dramatically in recent decades. This means having a higher electrical engineer’s salary and plenty of career prospects following graduation!
Do you have an electrical engineering degree but aren’t sure which job to set your foot into? Reading this blog will help you understand what you can do with an electrical engineering degree.
Licensed Professional Engineer in Texas (PE), Florida (PE) and Ontario (P. Eng) with consulting experience in design, commissioning and plant engineering for clients in Energy, Mining and Infrastructure.