Electrical Engineering
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Electrical engineers are tasked with developing electrical equipment, from the computer chip in your laptop to the power station which generates the electricity for your house. They work in engineering consulting and design, navigational instruments manufacture, electric power generation, and related fields. A bachelor's degree is required for most electrical engineering jobs, although an associate degree can prepare graduates for engineering technician positions.
As electricity has become a defining part of modern life, the work of electrical engineers has grown in scope and importance. The electrical system in your car, the components in your cell phone, and the power grid lighting up your neighborhood: these are just a few of the things that electrical engineers are in charge of designing and testing. Many electrical engineers specialize in a particular area; for example, those who focus on electrical power generation work in power systems, while those who develop the fiber optic cables that give us speedy Internet and digital TV are known as optical engineers.
The most common way to enter this career is by earning a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. These programs have a curriculum of engineering fundamentals and electrical engineering classes, as well as course work in math, physics, computer science and optics. A master's degree in electrical engineering can be helpful for securing a job or advancing in one's career; a doctoral degree is pursued mainly by individuals interested in academic or research careers.
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Career Specializations
- Power Systems: Electrical engineers specializing in power systems develop ways to generate electricity, and get that electricity safely to consumers.
- Electrical Equipment Manufacturing: Equipment manufacturing engineers work on the equipment that is used to carry and generate electricity.
- Control Engineering: These electrical engineers design algorithms that control the electrical systems that oversee movement of physical systems, such as robots and cars.
- Optical Engineering: Optical engineers look to apply the principles of optics to everyday life, through products such as lasers and fiber optic cables.
Degree Levels Available for Electrical Engineering
- Associate's Degree: 2 years to complete
- Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
- Master's Degree: 2 years to complete
- Doctoral Degree: 5-6 years to complete
Education and Certification Requirements
Most staff-level electrical engineering positions require applicants to have at least a bachelor's degree. Bachelor's programs in engineering cover topics in engineering fundamentals, electronics, computer engineering, physics, computer science, math, and electrical engineering.
Courses like Digital Systems and Circuit Analysis cover how electricity works, and how it is used in different applications. Along with the core engineering course work, students also take about half their credits in general education requirements, in topics like social studies and humanities.
Associate degrees in electrical engineering are available as well. These programs prepare graduates for careers as an electrical engineering technician. These professionals do not necessarily design electrical systems or components, but they help test them and oversee their manufacture. This two-year program is available from community colleges and vocational schools.
A master's program in electrical engineering allows students to do in-depth research into one engineering area, and can help with career advancement. In these programs, students choose an area of focus, such as communications and signal processing, microelectronics, or electric power systems.
While taking a series of courses in their area of interest, students also being work on a research project under the supervision of their faculty advisor. The doctoral degree is also structured this way, except that students work on their project over an even longer period of 3-5 years. Doctoral degrees in engineering are appropriate for individuals interested in a career in electrical engineering research or academia. (BLS)
There are certification requirements for engineers who offer their services directly to the public, rather than working as part of a firm or company. These engineers must earn the Professional Engineer credential, which is given out on a state-by-state basis. To earn this credential, engineers must have an ABET recognized undergraduate degree, along with four years of professional engineering experience. They must also pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam appropriate to their engineering area. (BLS)
Salary Information
Engineering is one of the highest-paid professions, amongst those with only a bachelor's degree. The National Association of Colleges and Employers reports that the average salary for new electrical engineers is about $60,000 a year. Electrical engineers with some professional experience or a master's degree can earn $85,000-106,000 a year and up.
The industries employing the most electrical engineers are architectural, engineering and related services, navigational and control instruments manufacturing, electric power generation, semiconductor manufacturing, and scientific research. Massachusetts, Alaska, and California are the states with the highest average salaries for electrical engineers, at $99,000-103,000 a year. (BLS)
Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 2% increase in electrical engineering jobs by 2018; this is much slower than the national average rate of growth of 7-10%. While electrical devices and electricity are more vital to our lives than ever, the production and design of electrical devices is being outsourced to other markets overseas. Electrical engineers employed in firms that act as consultants for electrical manufacturers will have the best job opportunities.
Electrical engineers can also improve their job prospects by staying up-to-date in the latest research developments in their field. Those versed in the latest trends are more likely to retain their jobs, despite offshoring. (BLS)
Related Careers
Computer engineering is a discipline which often incorporates aspects of electrical engineering. These engineers design the electrical components which allow a computer to function, such as computer chips and circuit boards. They apply electrical engineering principles, but only to the design and manufacture of computers.
