Is Electrical Engineering a Good Career Path?

The field of electrical engineering focuses on the production, transmission, distribution, regulation, and use of the electrical energy necessary to run small-scale systems like sensors or large gears for space stations.

Are you interested in becoming an electrical engineer?

Before you get your foot into this field, the one question that may have stopped you from progressing forward might be:

Is electrical engineering a good career?

To help banish all your worries and concerns, we have gathered essential information and solid reasons to help you decide whether a career in electrical engineering is worth pursuing or not.

Let’s dive right in!

Reasons to Become an Electrical Engineer

If you want to become an electrical engineer but are wondering: Is electrical engineering right for me?

Then to help clear all your doubts, we have provided you with a list of reasons to study electrical engineering and become an electrical engineer.

Let’s check out the 5 primary reasons:

1. Earn a Good Pay
2. In-demand Job
3. Boredom-free Job
4. Continuous Expansion
5. Career Opportunity with Multiple Specializations

1. Earn a Good Pay

A competitive salary is one of the best privileges you can enjoy from becoming an electrical engineer. Electrical engineers are paid a handsome initial income compared to other professions with little to no job experience.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an electrical engineer has an average salary of $100,420 per year. Entry-level positions start from $62,360, while the most experienced electrical engineers can make up to $162,930 annually.

2. In-demand Job

When deciding to become an electrical engineer, this thought must have struck your mind:

Is there a demand for electrical engineers in the future?

To cut to the chase, as long as there is electricity in the world, electrical engineers will remain in huge demand across the globe.

And here’s why:

The electrical engineering profession centers on fundamental and universal principles of mathematics and physics.

That’s why:

Electrical engineers have a lot of margins to pursue greater employment prospects around the world.

3. Boredom-free Job

Electrical engineering is a tough job, and it won’t let you get bored. You won’t find yourself in the exhausting yet tedious typical office desk job scenario even for a second.

There will always be room for creativity in the workplace. So, if you want to excel in this profession, you’ll need to enhance your analytical and problem-solving abilities.

4. Continuous Expansion

Here are some stats to make up your mind to study electrical engineering even more:

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, electrical and electronics engineers’ total employment is anticipated to increase by 7% between 2020 and 2030.

It means:

Over the next ten years, there are expected to be, on average, 22,700 opportunities for electrical and electronics engineers.

This is a clear indication that the field of electrical engineering will continue to expand and keep its reputation as a viable career path.

5. Career Opportunities with Multiple Specializations

Electrical engineering is a broad field that coincides with many subfields and has connections to other engineering areas. As a result, electrical engineering gains a multidisciplinary edge and expands its use in different academic and professional settings.

It means:

You can broaden your repertoire while studying electrical engineering by adding relevant specializations to help you acquire greater job prospects.

Duties & Responsibilities of an Electrical Engineer

The duties and responsibilities of an electrical engineer can differ depending on the company they work for. However, they generally revolve around the following:

• Conducting feasibility assessments for new technological advancements.
• Creating circuit diagrams and project designs for low and high electrical gear.
• Utilizing engineering software to design products and systems.
• Managing the production, haulage, and supply of electricity.
• Maintaining building services like electricity, heating, ventilation, and elevators.
• Supervising program for monitoring and servicing.
• Engaging in renewable energy production and equipment with low and high voltage.
• Make sure that projects adhere to safety standards.
• Creating a budget and setting deadlines for projects.

We have also covered what an electrical engineer does in a different blog post. For more information, we recommend you to look through that detailed guide.

Average Salary of an Electrical Engineer

There are many high-paying electrical engineering jobs in the USA. The average salary of an electrical engineer is $92,501 per year in the United States, which translates to $47.44 per hour.

Entry-level electrical engineer jobs have a starting salary of $75,001 per year or $38.46 per hour. On the other hand, the most experienced electrical engineers earn up to $120,000 per year or $61.54 per hour.

Educational Requirements of an Electrical Engineer

Following are the educational requirements you have to fulfill to become an electrical engineer and get your foot into the best electrical job:

1. Acquire a Bachelor’s Degree

First and foremost, you’ll need to acquire a four-year bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited institution to become an electrical engineer. You can also pursue your bachelor’s degree in relevant fields like physics, software, electrical, or mechanical engineering.

2. Take and Clear the FE Electrical Exam

Next up, you will have to take and clear the six-hour-long F.E. Electrical exam, which consists of 110 questions and is divided into morning and afternoon sessions. After passing the FE. exam, you will be awarded the Engineer-in-training (EIT) title.

3. Obtain a Master’s Degree

Although it is not necessary, obtaining a master’s degree can help you position yourself as a strong candidate and open doors to high-level job roles.

4. Take and Pass the PE Electrical and Power Exam

Ultimately, you need to take and pass the eight-hour-long PE Electrical and Power exam, which consists of 80 problems. By passing the PE exam, you will get the PE license and become a licensed engineer, which will enable you to develop your skills, advance in your career, and earn the respect of your coworkers.

Skills & Competencies Required for Electrical Engineer

Here’s a list of the skills and competencies you must acquire to get your leg up in the competition and become an electrical engineer:

1. Problem-solving Skills

To become an electrical engineer, you’ll require phenomenal problem-solving skills. These skills will help you recognize complicated issues, examine relevant data, create and assess possibilities, and bring solutions into action.

2. Critical Thinking Skills

Acquiring critical thinking skills can enable you to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of potential findings, solutions, or strategies to problems employing logic and reasoning. Electrical engineers must set aside prior opinions and thoughts to assess the project critically.

3. Math Skills

You must possess solid maths skills as electrical engineers have to apply calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced mathematics to develop and test electrical devices and equipment. It can also help them determine the number of amps and volts required to carry out electrical operations.

4. Communication Skills

Electrical engineers need to acquire strong communication skills as they regularly have to convey their objectives, data, and results to turn their ideas into reality. This skill will also help you communicate clearly and concisely with coworkers who don’t understand technical terminology to become aware of the project’s essential elements.

5. Organizational Skills

Having excellent organizational abilities aid electrical engineers in devising resource allocation plans, creating manageable financial goals, and managing their own and other project workers’ time.

How Many Hours Does an Electrical Engineer Work?

On average, electrical engineers function for 40 hours per week.

But luckily:

Several jobs provide them with a flexible working schedule.

It means:

If they work for 46 hours a week, they can go home after working for 34 hours the next day, which will still be counted as full-time and not result in a deduction of their salaries.

Plus:

Electrical engineers hardly ever work on vacations, weekends, or overnight.

However:

Issues may arise that demand an immediate response or if deadlines are imminent.

In this scenario:

They must dedicate extra effort and overtime to meet deadlines and accomplish tasks. This could add up to four hours per day weekly.

Conclusion 

We cannot even think about a world without electricity, so can we imagine a world without electrical engineers?

Absolutely not!

The demand for electrical engineers is never-ending in any region, city, or country. Moreover, electrical engineers enjoy several benefits, including a higher salary, greater job prospects, education reimbursement, insurance, etc. 

We hope this article helped you clear your doubts about “is electrical engineering a good career?“

You can check out our blog for information on what you can do with an electrical engineering degree.

Wasim Asghar – P.E, P.ENG, M.ENG

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.

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