Electrical engineer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$58.89 per hour

$122,490 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$49.47 per hour

$102,900 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$39.00 per hour

$81,120 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$30.66 per hour

$63,760 per year

10th percentile

Starting level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$26.86 per hour

$55,870 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 6% less than similar careers in South Dakota. On average, they make less than computer network architects but more than mechatronics engineers.

Career Median Salary
Computer network architect salary $101K
Water engineer salary $92K
Environmental engineer salary $92K
Information security analyst salary $91K
Electrical engineer salary $81K
Nanotechnology engineer salary $86K
Biochemical engineer salary $86K
Robotics engineer salary $86K
Mechatronics engineer salary $86K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)