Electrical engineer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$101.04 per hour

$210,160 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$79.20 per hour

$164,730 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$62.24 per hour

$129,450 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$45.74 per hour

$95,130 per year

10th percentile

Starting level electrical engineer earnings begin at:

$36.60 per hour

$76,120 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Electrical engineer salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Wisconsin $99,700
South Dakota $98,980
Kentucky $98,550
South Carolina $98,440
Arkansas $96,860
Montana $87,360
Georgia $84,740
Guam $62,280
Puerto Rico $51,490
New Mexico $158,520
California $144,040
District of Columbia $143,000
New Hampshire $135,710
Washington $132,710
Texas $129,450
Idaho $129,340
Massachusetts $127,720
Delaware $126,970
Alaska $125,970
Alabama $125,630
New Jersey $125,370
Oregon $125,160
Maryland $125,150
Louisiana $123,710
Colorado $120,760
Virginia $119,030
New York $119,010
Missouri $118,670
Maine $114,620
West Virginia $113,420
Wyoming $111,740
Vermont $111,310
Pennsylvania $110,820
North Dakota $110,810
North Carolina $110,130
Minnesota $109,510
Illinois $107,860
Oklahoma $107,760
Nevada $107,400
Nebraska $107,260
Hawaii $106,350
Michigan $106,070
Iowa $105,820
Utah $105,720
Rhode Island $105,400
Mississippi $104,990
Florida $104,780
Tennessee $104,450
Connecticut $104,160
Indiana $102,670
Kansas $102,630
Ohio $100,620
Arizona $100,550

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 Texas. On average, they make less than naval architects but more than nuclear engineers.

Career Median Salary
Naval architect salary $153K
Chemical engineer salary $133K
Aerospace engineer salary $130K
Software engineer salary $132K
Sales engineer salary $131K
Electrical engineer salary $129K
Computer network architect salary $133K
Information security analyst salary $130K
Computer and information research scientist salary $121K
Nuclear engineer salary $128K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)