Average Electrical Engineers Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Electrical Engineers is $111,910 per year. The middle 50% earn between $87,590 and $141,630, with 188,790 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 51 states and 319 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Electrical Engineers pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $74,670
- 25th
- $87,590
- Median
- $111,910
- 75th
- $141,630
- 90th
- $175,460
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for electrical engineers from 2024 to 2034. Growth is above the US average of about 4% across all occupations. This is an expanding field.
- Projected growth
- +7.2%
- 13,800 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 11,700
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave.
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement for electrical engineers.
Where Electrical Engineers earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where electrical engineers work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is New Mexico at $143,850, about 28.5% above the national median. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with a median of $186,920.
By state
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $143,850 | 1,580 |
| California | $140,360 | 23,650 |
| District of Columbia | $138,860 | 520 |
| New Hampshire | $131,790 | 1,420 |
| Washington | $130,730 | 10,010 |
| Idaho | $128,960 | 920 |
| Massachusetts | $126,010 | 4,780 |
| New Jersey | $125,120 | 3,620 |
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $186,920 | 4,750 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $163,840 | 2,860 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | $151,040 | 930 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $143,850 | 1,270 |
| Vallejo, CA | $139,840 | 130 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $138,370 | 490 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $136,820 | 3,660 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | $135,920 | 100 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see electrical engineers pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Electrical Engineers rose from $98,530 to $111,910, a gain of +13.6% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $98,530 would need to be worth $120,895 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $111,910 is −$8,985 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -7.4% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 13.6% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +13.6%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- -7.4%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Electrical Engineers median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $98,530
- 2020
- $100,830
- 2021
- $100,420
- 2022
- $103,320
- 2023
- $106,950
- 2024
- $111,910
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Environmental Engineers
- $104,170
- Chemical Engineers
- $121,860
- Civil Engineers
- $99,590
- Aerospace Engineers
- $134,830
- Agricultural Engineers
- $84,630
- Computer Hardware Engineers
- $155,020
Common salary questions for Electrical Engineers
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Electrical Engineers workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.