There are currently an estimated 192,000 electrical engineers in the United States. The electrical engineer job market is expected to grow by 7.2% between 2024 and 2034.

How employable are electrical engineers?

CareerExplorer rates electrical engineers with a D employability rating, meaning this career should provide weak employment opportunities for the foreseeable future. Over the next 10 years, it is expected the US will need 13,700 electrical engineers.

Are electrical engineers in demand?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), two occupations long associated with innovation – electrical and electronics engineering – have all but stalled in their growth. The slow rate of growth in most manufacturing sectors is getting much of the blame for the stall in this occupation. This bleak view of the field is in direct contrast with industry claims that the United States has a massive shortage of skilled electrical engineers. American companies maintain that this is not an issue of declining demand, but rather one of declining investment in U.S. workers in favour of lobbying Congress for access to inexpensive foreign labour. Some observers claim that the demand for American electrical engineers would improve if the U.S. insisted that rockets that launch astronauts, satellites, weather, and GPS equipment were made in the U.S. The BLS predicts that most opportunities for electrical and electronics engineers will be with engineering service firms, as companies seek to reduce costs by contracting. Electrical engineers familiar with developing technologies in the areas of solar arrays, semiconductors, and communications will be best positioned to find jobs.

What’s the supply of electrical engineers?

The electrical engineer industry is concentrated in California, Texas, Michigan

Electrical Engineer job market by state

State Name Employed Electrical Engineers
California 24,230
Texas 20,870
Michigan 10,840
Florida 9,220
New York 8,770
Washington 7,610
Virginia 7,260
North Carolina 7,090
Pennsylvania 6,970
Ohio 6,360
Georgia 5,950
Illinois 5,460
Arizona 5,370
Massachusetts 5,040
Maryland 4,650
Alabama 4,600
Colorado 4,200
Indiana 4,000
Wisconsin 3,550
South Carolina 3,490
Minnesota 3,150
New Jersey 2,940
Connecticut 2,930
Tennessee 2,830
New Mexico 2,560
Oregon 2,540
Missouri 2,410
Kansas 2,100
Oklahoma 2,080
Utah 1,680
New Hampshire 1,600
Kentucky 1,540
Iowa 1,280
Maine 1,150
Mississippi 1,130
Nevada 1,100
Hawaii 1,080
Nebraska 1,060
Idaho 1,000
Louisiana 990
Arkansas 900
Vermont 820
Montana 790
Rhode Island 670
Delaware 660
South Dakota 530
West Virginia 500
Alaska 350
District of Columbia 330
Wyoming 280
North Dakota 260