Electrical engineer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$56.01 per hour

$116,500 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$46.67 per hour

$97,080 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$38.22 per hour

$79,490 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$30.82 per hour

$64,110 per year

10th percentile

Starting level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$24.23 per hour

$50,390 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Electrical engineer salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Texas $99,670
New York $99,410
Colorado $97,400
Oklahoma $95,860
Minnesota $95,380
Connecticut $94,960
Alabama $92,787
Illinois $92,271
Wyoming $92,100
Missouri $91,960
Idaho $91,720
North Carolina $91,680
Utah $91,460
Hawaii $91,070
Nebraska $91,010
Louisiana $91,000
Tennessee $90,930
Kansas $90,880
Florida $90,660
Mississippi $89,780
Nevada $89,300
West Virginia $88,990
Michigan $88,930
Oregon $88,880
Montana $88,570
North Dakota $88,350
Pennsylvania $87,228
Kentucky $87,079
South Carolina $87,070
Iowa $85,670
Maine $85,080
Georgia $84,740
Indiana $84,385
Ohio $83,790
Wisconsin $82,680
South Dakota $81,120
Arkansas $79,490
Guam $62,280
Puerto Rico $51,490
District of Columbia $115,560
Massachusetts $113,270
New Mexico $111,910
Washington $111,730
Alaska $111,100
California $110,190
New Jersey $108,470
Maryland $105,680
Delaware $105,430
Rhode Island $105,400
Virginia $104,310
New Hampshire $103,860
Vermont $101,290
Arizona $100,830

How much does an Electrical Engineer earn?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 10% of electrical engineers earn a monthly salary of $10,972 or more ($131,660 yearly or $63.30 hourly). Salaries in the range of $11,000 per month or more usually go to engineers with at least 10 years of experience, according to ElectricalEngineerSalary.com. Chemical product and preparation manufacturing was the highest-paying industry for electrical engineers in 2011, the bureau reported. The average electrical engineer in this industry earned approximately $11,683 per month, or $140,190 per year.

According to ElectricalEngineeringSalaries.com, an electrical engineer with extra responsibilities, long work hours or travel requirements often earns higher pay. In addition, electrical engineers with a master's degree or professional license improve their attractiveness to employers and may qualify for higher wages. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average worker with a master's degree in any field earns approximately $900 more per month than one with a bachelor's degree.

California, Texas, Maryland, New York, Georgia and New Jersey employ nearly 40% of all electrical engineers nationwide. Median annual electrical engineer salary in the industries employing the largest numbers are:

Computer and office equipment: $73,790
Measuring and control devices: $76,910
Search and navigation equipment: $78,140
Electronic peripherals, components and accessories: $76,820
Engineering service firms: $71,650
Federal Government $74,850
RF Engineering: $87,230

How do electrical engineer salaries compare to similar careers?

Electrical engineers earn about the same as related careers in Arkansas. On average, they make less than environmental engineers but more than IT managers.

Career Median Salary
Environmental engineer salary $89K
Software engineer salary $82K
Chemical engineer salary $91K
Database architect salary $74K
Industrial engineer salary $76K
Electrical engineer salary $79K
Industrial designer salary $83K
Information security analyst salary $77K
Database administrator salary $73K
IT manager salary $71K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)