Entry-level electrical engineers may have a tougher time finding jobs in the U.S. as more employers send engineering work to other countries. New electrical engineers who do find jobs will quickly discover that one of the best ways to get a higher salary is by gaining experience. Experience also affects the type of projects electrical engineers get from their employers. An entry-level engineer's educational background impacts salary offers as well.
Average Salaries
Electrical engineers design and test electrical equipment, including motors and lighting and radar systems. They also develop electrical systems for cars and airplanes. Some electrical engineers oversee the manufacturing process for electrical devices. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics cites the mean annual salary for electrical engineers in 2009 as $86,250. Entry-level electrical engineers make significantly less than that, but new engineers who earn bachelor's degrees can bolster their initial earnings.
New Graduates
Electrical engineers who are recent college graduates usually begin their careers by working under the supervision of an experienced engineer. Companies that hire entry-level engineers also may require them to complete company training courses as a condition of their employment. Engineers who have bachelor's degrees earn some of the sector's highest starting salaries. According to the BLS, the average starting salary for electrical engineers who had bachelor's degrees was $60,125 in 2009. That's the sixth-highest starting salary listed by the BLS among 13 engineering occupations. Petroleum engineers with bachelor's degrees topped the list with starting salaries of $83,121 in 2009.
Experience
New electrical engineers' salaries and responsibilities increase as they gain knowledge and experience. New engineers take on increasingly complex projects, and some may eventually manage a team of engineers and technicians. The motion picture and video industry are among the top-paying industries for the profession. Based on BLS data, electrical engineers earned mean annual wages of $109,960 in the motion picture and video industry in 2009.
Job Growth
The BLS predicts only a 2-percent employment growth rate for electrical engineers through 2018, which would add just 2,700 to the sector. That slow growth rate doesn't reflect future demand for electrical engineering skills. The BLS expects strong demand for electrical devices such as wireless phone transmitters. However, more companies are using engineering services in other countries, which may limit job opportunities for electrical engineers in the U.S. According to the BLS, electrical engineers in the U.S. who work for firms that provide engineering consulting and design services to manufacturers will have the best future job prospects.
Tags: electrical engineers, bachelor degrees, demand electrical, electrical devices, electrical engineers