Starting Electrical Engineering Salaries
Electrical engineers held 157,800 jobs in 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Engineers within this specialty design and develop the manufacture of electrical equipment such as electric motors, lighting, wiring, navigation systems and power generation. The BLS indicates that engineers earn some of the highest starting salaries among employees holding a bachelor's degree.
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Earnings
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According to EngineerSalary.com, electrical engineers who graduated with a bachelor's degree were offered annual starting salaries of $60,340 as of 2009. Electrical engineers who graduated with a master's or other advanced degree were offered annual starting salaries of $71,510 on average. Electrical engineers in general earned between $53,510 and $126,810 as of May 2009 regardless of whether they were new to the industry or experienced in the profession, according to the BLS.
Education
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Entry into the electrical engineering field requires at least a bachelor's degree. Many colleges and universities offer majors in electrical engineering. In addition to study within the electrical specialty, students take a variety of courses in mathematics as well as physical and life sciences. Graduate-level training is available for electrical engineering for research and teaching positions but is not a requirement for entry into the field. Engineers must be licensed if they provide public services. Licensed engineers are called professional engineers. They are eligible to receive this designation by completing an engineering program approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology (ABET) and passing a state exam. Professional engineers also must have four years of related work experience.
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Employment
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According to the BLS, growth in the electrical engineering profession is limited. The occupation is expected to grow by only 2 percent through 2018. International competition in manufacturing electronic devices such as power generators, navigation devices and wireless phone transmitters has slowed job growth in the United States. Job opportunities in engineering and design firms are favorable for electrical engineers.
Considerations
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The electrical engineering field is often confused with electronics engineering. Although the occupations share some similarities, electronics engineering focuses on the manufacture of electronic equipment whereas electrical engineering focuses on electrical equipment. For example, electronic engineers develop communications devices such as portable music players and vehicle tracking devices. Electronics engineers process the signals that allow these devices to function properly.
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References
- Photo Credit high voltage electricity pylons near the houses image by GoodMood Photo from Fotolia.com
