Education:
82%
Bachelor's Degree
11%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Electrical Engineers
This is a sub-career of
Electrical or Electronics Engineer
More sub-careers
Select a specialized sub-career for more details.
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Job Outlook:
Faster than average
Education:
Bachelor's degree
Salary
High:
$166,970.00
Average:
$114,050.00
Hourly
Average:
$54.83
What they do:
Research, design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, or systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use.
On the job, you would:
- Supervise or train project team members, as necessary.
- Assist in developing capital project programs for new equipment or major repairs.
- Design, implement, maintain, or improve electrical instruments, equipment, facilities, components, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, or domestic purposes.
Important Qualities
Concentration. Electrical and electronics engineers design and develop complex electrical systems and electronic components and products. They must keep track of multiple design elements and technical characteristics when performing these tasks.
Initiative. Electrical and electronics engineers must apply their knowledge to new tasks in every project they undertake. In addition, they must engage in continuing education to keep up with changes in technology.
Interpersonal skills. Electrical and electronics engineers must work with others during the manufacturing process to ensure that their plans are implemented correctly. This collaboration includes monitoring technicians and devising remedies to problems as they arise.
Math skills. Electrical and electronics engineers must use the principles of calculus and other advanced math in order to analyze, design, and troubleshoot equipment.
Speaking skills. Electrical and electronics engineers work closely with other engineers and technicians. They must be able to explain their designs and reasoning clearly and to relay instructions during product development and production. They also may need to explain complex issues to customers who have little or no technical expertise.
Writing skills. Electrical and electronics engineers develop technical publications related to equipment they develop, including maintenance manuals, operation manuals, parts lists, product proposals, and design methods documents.
Personality
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
|---|---|---|---|
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92% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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83% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
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82% | Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. | |
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80% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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78% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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75% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
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75% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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73% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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70% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. | |
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69% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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68% | Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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89% | Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service. | |
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83% | Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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78% | Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement. | |
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75% | Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions. | |
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72% | Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status. | |
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72% | Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. |
Aptitude
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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78% | Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. | |
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78% | Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. | |
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75% | Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem. | |
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75% | Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. | |
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75% | Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). | |
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75% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. | |
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75% | Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. | |
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72% | Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). | |
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72% | Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways. | |
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69% | Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). | |
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66% | Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. |
Job Details
Responsibilities
Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.
Discuss designs or plans with clients.
Design structures or facilities.
Design electrical equipment or systems.
Maintain electronic equipment.
Operate computer systems.
Direct construction activities.
Direct installation activities.
Direct equipment maintenance or repair activities.
Estimate technical or resource requirements for development or production projects.
Devise research or testing protocols.
Estimate technical or resource requirements for development or production projects.
Train personnel on proper operational procedures.
Supervise engineering or other technical personnel.
Test products for functionality or quality.
Direct industrial production activities.
Create electrical schematics.
Design energy production or management equipment or systems.
Design electrical equipment or systems.
Prepare operational reports.
Survey land or bodies of water to measure or determine features.
Design energy-efficient equipment or systems.
Design alternative energy systems.
Design energy-efficient equipment or systems.
Estimate operational costs.
Prepare project budgets.
Investigate system, equipment, or product failures.
Inspect operational processes.
Develop software or computer applications.
Develop software or applications for scientific or technical use.
Design control systems for mechanical or other equipment.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
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97% | Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job? | |
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95% | Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? | |
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93% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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93% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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90% | Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? | |
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89% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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87% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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84% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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83% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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78% | Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? | |
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76% | Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting? | |
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75% | Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer? | |
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73% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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70% | Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job? | |
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69% | Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers? | |
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67% | Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job? | |
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79% | Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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98% | Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. | |
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97% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. | |
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90% | Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. | |
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89% | Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. | |
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88% | Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. | |
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84% | Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment - Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used. | |
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84% | Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. | |
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83% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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83% | Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. | |
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81% | Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. | |
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80% | Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. | |
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79% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
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75% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. | |
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73% | Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. | |
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71% | Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. | |
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69% | Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. | |
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68% | Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. | |
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66% | Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. | |
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66% | Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
What Electrical and Electronics Engineers Do
Electronics engineers analyze the requirements and costs of electrical systems.
Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, or power generation equipment. Electrical engineers also design the electrical systems of automobiles and aircraft.
Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, including broadcast and communications systems, such as portable music players and Global Positioning System (GPS) devices. Many also work in areas closely related to computer hardware.
Duties
Electrical engineers typically do the following:
- Design new ways to use electrical power to develop or improve products
- Perform detailed calculations to develop manufacturing, construction, and installation standards and specifications
- Direct the manufacture, installation, and testing of electrical equipment to ensure that products meet specifications and codes
- Investigate complaints from customers or the public, evaluate problems, and recommend solutions
- Work with project managers on production efforts to ensure that projects are completed satisfactorily, on time, and within budget
Electronics engineers typically do the following:
- Design electronic components, software, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, medical, military, or scientific applications
- Analyze customer needs and determine the requirements, capacity, and cost for developing an electrical system plan
- Develop maintenance and testing procedures for electronic components and equipment
- Evaluate systems and recommend design modifications or equipment repair
- Inspect electronic equipment, instruments, and systems to make sure they meet safety standards and applicable regulations
- Plan and develop applications and modifications for electronic properties used in parts and systems in order to improve technical performance
Electronics engineers who work for the federal government research, develop, and evaluate electronic devices used in a variety of areas, such as aviation, computing, transportation, and manufacturing. They work on federal electronic devices and systems, including satellites, flight systems, radar and sonar systems, and communications systems.
The work of electrical engineers and electronics engineers is often similar. Both use engineering and design software and equipment to do engineering tasks. Both types of engineers also must work with other engineers to discuss existing products and possibilities for engineering projects.
Engineers whose work is related exclusively to computer hardware are considered computer hardware engineers.
Work Environment
Electrical engineers held about 188,800 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of electrical engineers were as follows:
| Engineering services | 19% |
| Electric power generation, transmission and distribution | 9 |
| Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing | 7 |
| Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences | 5 |
| Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing | 4 |
Electronics engineers, except computer held about 110,900 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of electronics engineers, except computer were as follows:
| Telecommunications | 18% |
| Federal government, excluding postal service | 14 |
| Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing | 11 |
| Engineering services | 7 |
| Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing | 6 |
Electrical and electronics engineers generally work indoors in offices. However, they may visit sites to observe a problem or a piece of complex equipment.
Work Schedules
Most electrical and electronics engineers work full time.
Getting Started
How to Become an Electrical or Electronics Engineer
Becoming an electrical or electronics engineer involves the study of math and engineering.
Electrical and electronics engineers must have a bachelor’s degree. Employers also value practical experience, such as internships or participation in cooperative engineering programs, in which students earn academic credit for structured work experience.
Education
High school students interested in studying electrical or electronics engineering benefit from taking courses in physics and math, including algebra, trigonometry, and calculus. Courses in drafting are also helpful, because electrical and electronics engineers often are required to prepare technical drawings.
Electrical and electronics engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or a related engineering field. Programs include classroom, laboratory, and field studies. Courses include digital systems design, differential equations, and electrical circuit theory. Programs in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or electrical engineering technology should be accredited by ABET.
Some colleges and universities offer cooperative programs in which students gain practical experience while completing their education. Cooperative programs combine classroom study with practical work. Internships provide similar experience and are growing in number.
At some universities, students can enroll in a 5-year program that leads to both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. A graduate degree allows an engineer to work as an instructor at some universities, or in research and development.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Licensure is not required for entry-level positions as electrical and electronics engineers. A Professional Engineering (PE) license, which allows for higher levels of leadership and independence, can be acquired later in one’s career. Licensed engineers are called professional engineers (PEs). A PE can oversee the work of other engineers, sign off on projects, and provide services directly to the public. State licensure generally requires
- A degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program
- A passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
- Relevant work experience, typically at least 4 years
- A passing score on the Professional Engineering (PE) exam
The initial FE exam can be taken after earning a bachelor’s degree. Engineers who pass this exam commonly are called engineers in training (EITs) or engineer interns (EIs). After meeting work experience requirements, EITs and EIs can take the second exam, called the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE).
Each state issues its own licenses. Most states recognize licensure from other states, as long as the licensing state’s requirements meet or exceed their own licensure requirements. Several states require continuing education for engineers to keep their licenses.
Advancement
Electrical and electronic engineers may advance to supervisory positions in which they lead a team of engineers and technicians. Some may move to management positions, working as engineering or program managers. Preparation for managerial positions usually requires working under the guidance of a more experienced engineer. For more information, see the profile on architectural and engineering managers.
For sales work, an engineering background enables engineers to discuss a product's technical aspects and assist in product planning and use. For more information, see the profile on sales engineers.
Job Outlook
Overall employment of electrical and electronics engineers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
About 17,800 openings for electrical and electronics engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Projected employment of electrical and electronics engineers varies by occupation (see table).
Some employment growth is expected as companies continue to utilize the expertise of engineers for projects involving electronic devices and systems. These engineers are expected to have key roles in developing sophisticated consumer electronics, solar arrays, semiconductors, and communications technologies.
Contacts for More Information
For more information about general engineering education and career resources, visit
American Society for Engineering Education
Technology Student Association
For more information about licensure as an electrical or electronics engineer, visit
National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying
National Society of Professional Engineers
International Society of Automation
For more information about accredited engineering programs, visit
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of electrical and electronics engineers.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Aerospace Engineers |
Aerospace engineers design, develop, and test aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles. |
Bachelor's degree | $126,880 |
|
Architectural and Engineering Managers |
Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in the fields of architecture and engineering. |
Bachelor's degree | $159,920 |
|
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers |
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers combine engineering principles with sciences to design and create equipment, devices, computer systems, and software. |
Bachelor's degree | $99,550 |
|
Computer Hardware Engineers |
Computer hardware engineers research, design, develop, and test computer systems and components. |
Bachelor's degree | $132,360 |
|
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians |
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians help engineers design and develop equipment that is powered by electricity or electric current. |
Associate's degree | $66,390 |
|
Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers |
Electrical and electronics installers and repairers install or repair a variety of electrical equipment. |
See How to Become One | $64,190 |
|
Electricians |
Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $60,240 |
|
Network and Computer Systems Administrators |
Network and computer systems administrators install, configure, and maintain organizations’ computer networks and systems. |
Bachelor's degree | $90,520 |
|
Sales Engineers |
Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses. |
Bachelor's degree | $108,530 |
|
Electro-mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians |
Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians operate, test, and maintain electromechanical or robotic equipment. |
Associate's degree | $60,570 |