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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

17-2071 Electrical Engineers

Research, design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, or systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use. Excludes "Computer Hardware Engineers" (17-2061).


National estimates for Electrical Engineers
Industry profile for Electrical Engineers
Geographic profile for Electrical Engineers

National estimates for Electrical Engineers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Electrical Engineers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
185,220 1.4 % $ 50.96 $ 105,990 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Electrical Engineers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 31.19 $ 37.98 $ 48.48 $ 61.86 $ 76.69
Annual Wage (2) $ 64,870 $ 79,010 $ 100,830 $ 128,680 $ 159,520


Industry profile for Electrical Engineers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Electrical Engineers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Electrical Engineers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Electrical Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 41,010 2.73 $ 50.49 $ 105,010
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 18,850 4.96 $ 50.28 $ 104,590
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 12,970 3.09 $ 53.17 $ 110,590
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 12,360 2.36 $ 56.25 $ 116,990
Scientific Research and Development Services 8,420 1.12 $ 56.83 $ 118,210

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Electrical Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 18,850 4.96 $ 50.28 $ 104,590
Electrical Equipment Manufacturing 5,020 3.63 $ 43.52 $ 90,520
Communications Equipment Manufacturing 2,930 3.47 $ 53.08 $ 110,400
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 12,970 3.09 $ 53.17 $ 110,590
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing 560 3.06 $ 53.64 $ 111,570

Top paying industries for Electrical Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oil and Gas Extraction 190 0.16 $ 63.32 $ 131,710
Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers 40 0.07 $ 61.18 $ 127,250
Office Administrative Services 140 0.03 $ 61.10 $ 127,080
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 210 0.19 $ 59.36 $ 123,460
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 70 0.02 $ 59.28 $ 123,290


Geographic profile for Electrical Engineers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Electrical Engineers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Electrical Engineers, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in Electrical Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 26,360 1.60 1.20 $ 59.80 $ 124,390
Texas 14,200 1.17 0.88 $ 51.57 $ 107,270
Pennsylvania 8,980 1.63 1.22 $ 48.62 $ 101,120
Michigan 8,410 2.14 1.61 $ 45.20 $ 94,020
New York 8,170 0.94 0.71 $ 50.52 $ 105,080




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Electrical Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Hampshire 1,810 2.92 2.19 $ 51.94 $ 108,040
Alabama 4,420 2.32 1.74 $ 50.32 $ 104,670
Vermont 630 2.23 1.67 $ 56.95 $ 118,460
Maryland 5,570 2.21 1.66 $ 56.59 $ 117,700
Washington 6,850 2.14 1.61 $ 56.63 $ 117,790




Top paying states for Electrical Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 610 0.89 0.67 $ 60.98 $ 126,840
California 26,360 1.60 1.20 $ 59.80 $ 124,390
New Jersey 3,900 1.03 0.77 $ 57.76 $ 120,140
Vermont 630 2.23 1.67 $ 56.95 $ 118,460
Washington 6,850 2.14 1.61 $ 56.63 $ 117,790





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Electrical Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 9,290 1.60 1.20 $ 58.88 $ 122,470
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 7,290 0.82 0.62 $ 54.54 $ 113,450
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 7,190 2.76 2.07 $ 55.65 $ 115,740
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 5,420 4.91 3.69 $ 72.35 $ 150,480
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 5,150 2.63 1.98 $ 57.72 $ 120,060
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 5,120 1.69 1.27 $ 62.57 $ 130,150
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 4,760 1.60 1.20 $ 54.61 $ 113,590
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 4,390 2.47 1.85 $ 47.13 $ 98,020
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 4,310 1.60 1.20 $ 53.04 $ 110,320
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,640 1.56 1.17 $ 58.99 $ 122,690




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Electrical Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California-Lexington Park, MD 610 13.57 10.19 $ 55.21 $ 114,830
Huntsville, AL 1,960 8.49 6.37 $ 51.86 $ 107,880
Monroe, MI 190 5.53 4.15 $ 47.17 $ 98,110
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 1,170 5.43 4.08 $ 51.00 $ 106,080
Cedar Rapids, IA 730 5.35 4.02 $ 51.76 $ 107,670
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 5,420 4.91 3.69 $ 72.35 $ 150,480
Tucson, AZ 1,800 4.89 3.67 $ 44.68 $ 92,930
Pittsfield, MA 140 4.00 3.00 $ 41.55 $ 86,430
Kennewick-Richland, WA 370 3.21 2.41 $ 57.26 $ 119,100
Burlington-South Burlington, VT 360 3.20 2.40 $ 58.38 $ 121,420




Top paying metropolitan areas for Electrical Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 5,420 4.91 3.69 $ 72.35 $ 150,480
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 5,120 1.69 1.27 $ 62.57 $ 130,150
Idaho Falls, ID 170 2.47 1.86 $ 60.43 $ 125,700
Fresno, CA 190 0.50 0.38 $ 59.80 $ 124,380
Yuba City, CA 50 1.08 0.81 $ 59.79 $ 124,370
Stockton-Lodi, CA 60 0.26 0.19 $ 59.56 $ 123,880
Savannah, GA 260 1.55 1.16 $ 59.47 $ 123,700
Salinas, CA 80 0.46 0.34 $ 59.40 $ 123,560
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 40 0.55 0.41 $ 59.26 $ 123,270
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,640 1.56 1.17 $ 58.99 $ 122,690

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Electrical Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 640 1.69 1.27 $ 39.88 $ 82,960
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 390 8.14 6.11 $ 53.81 $ 111,930
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 340 1.76 1.32 $ 40.62 $ 84,500
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 300 1.68 1.26 $ 43.40 $ 90,280
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 250 1.04 0.78 $ 38.13 $ 79,310

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Electrical Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 390 8.14 6.11 $ 53.81 $ 111,930
Upper Savannah South Carolina nonmetropolitan area 220 2.87 2.15 $ 41.49 $ 86,300
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 200 2.05 1.54 (8) (8)
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 60 1.83 1.37 $ 48.90 $ 101,700
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 240 1.80 1.35 $ 41.30 $ 85,910

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Electrical Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 60 0.71 0.53 $ 58.61 $ 121,900
Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 50 0.73 0.55 $ 56.19 $ 116,870
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 100 0.83 0.62 $ 55.71 $ 115,880
Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area 30 0.31 0.24 $ 55.43 $ 115,300
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 100 0.70 0.52 $ 55.19 $ 114,800


About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021