Getting practical experience while in college, such as by completing an internship or participating in a cooperative engineering program, also is recommended. However, they spend a lot of time moving around overseeing the work of electricians, scientists, computer programmers, and other engineers. Chicago, IL 60601. They work with a range of technologies, including household appliances, the lighting and wiring systems of buildings, power transmission, telecommunications, and satellite communications. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics program (wages), Employment Projections program (typical entry-level requirements and new jobs projected). Electrical engineers may spend time at a desk developing designs, planning budgets, and preparing project schedules. They can also assume computer science roles like systems analyst, software, systems or test engineer ; or, they can inhabit other STEM roles like an accelerator operator, a physical sciences technician or a science educator on the middle or high school level. Together, these two occupations accounted for about 36 percent of new jobs for engineers. About 74,800 new jobs are projected to be added. Focus on one job at a time. RESEARCH THE EMPLOYER: Learn as much as you can about the engineering firm you are interviewing with so that you can prove how you would be the perfect fit for their department. © 2020 CareerBuilder, LLC. Employment in architecture and engineering occupations is projected to grow 3 percent from 2019 to 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations. information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. On average, electrical engineers with 20 or more years' experience earn 44 percent more than the national average, while new electrical engineers earn 9 percent less than the national average. Read more about engineers and related careers in the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). Scientific research and development services, Computer systems design and related services. Median annual wages in selected engineering-related occupations, 2016, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, Projections of occupational employment, 2016-26, STEM 101: Intro to tomorrowâs jobs Careers in mining, oil, and gas. Mechanical and industrial engineers are second and third in projected job growth among engineers. However, this is a bad idea. Tuesday, September 1, 2020, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians, Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians. https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any (See chart 2.) Chart 1 shows percentile wages for the top-paying engineering occupations in 2016. The median annual wage for architecture and engineering occupations was $81,440 in May 2019. make sure you're on a federal government site. They can hold engineering roles such as laser, project, research or application engineers. The Civil engineers design, build, and supervise infrastructure projects and systems. As table 1 also shows, median annual wages for engineers vary. After gaining their degree, aspiring electrical engineers must gain a passing grade in the Fundamentals of Engineering exam to work in their chosen profession. Some jobs may also provide flexible working arrangements for electrical engineers who cannot commit to full-time hours. Basically, if there’s an AC current involved, then it’s likely that an electrical engineer will have had something to do with it. About 74,800 new jobs are projected to be added. Common post-graduate degrees include: In addition, many companies also offer comprehensive training programs which include orientation initiatives and structured continuing professional development schemes.