The Salary Ranges for an Electrical Engineer
Electrical engineers create, test and oversee the production of electrical equipment such as electric motors, navigation systems and power generators. A bachelor’s degree is necessary for entering the field, though higher degrees may be needed for research and faculty positions. All states require licensing for engineers who offer services directly to the public.
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Job
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Though electrical engineers may have offices in which to meet colleagues and clients and draw their plans, they can travel to industrial plants or factory floors to check on the progress of their projects. They typically work 40 hours a week but may work overtime when deadlines approach. As of May 2009, their median salary was $83,110 per year, with a range of $53,510 to $126,810. This breaks down to $39.96 per hour, with a range of $25.73 to $60.97. This information is the most current from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS.
Experience
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Experience grants higher salaries because electrical engineers are exposed to a wide range of designs and techniques. They also develop a bigger network of customers and potential employers. As of March 2011, new engineers made $48,575 to $61,403 per year, and those with one to four years of work experience got $53,544 to $67,196. With five to nine years' experience, they earned $61,688 to $80,261, and at 10 to 19 years of experience, they received $67,569 to $97,362. Finally, with 20 years or more of experience, they topped out at $81,210 to $117,366.
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Employers
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The biggest employers of electrical engineers, according to the BLS, were architectural and engineering services, with more than 22 percent of the available 151,660 jobs. They paid a mean $41.61 per hour, or $86,550 per year. The highest-paying employer was oil and gas extraction, with a mean of $57.76 per hour, or $120,140 per year. Also in the top five for pay were management, scientific and technical consulting services, which had lower wages of $47.70 per hour, or $99,220 per year, but better opportunities with 2,350 jobs.
Geography
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The state with the best pay for electrical engineers was Massachusetts, with a mean of $48.43 per hour, or $100,740 per year, for 7,700 positions. Also among the top five states for wages was California, with a lower mean at $46.75 per hour, or $97,250 per year, but higher employment at 17,650 jobs. For cities, Sherman, Texas, topped the list with a mean of $58.19 per hour, or $121,030 per year, for 30 jobs. Also among the top five was Sacramento, California, with a lower mean of $53.94 per hour, or $112,190 per year, but better employment at 1,030 jobs.
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References
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