Electrical Engineers

What Electrical Engineers Do

Research, design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, or systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use.

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience

None

On-the-job training

None

Self-employed

1%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

• Engineering and Technologyimportance 4.7/5
• Computers and Electronicsimportance 4.7/5
• Designimportance 4.1/5
• English Languageimportance 3.8/5
• Mathematicsimportance 3.7/5
• Physicsimportance 3.6/5
• Production and Processingimportance 3.3/5
• Mechanicalimportance 3.2/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

• E-Mail4.9/5
• Telephone Conversations4.8/5
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7/5
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.7/5
• Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.6/5
• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.5/5

Related Careers

• Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
• Mechanical Engineers
• Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
• Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
• Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
• Engineers, All Other
• Industrial Engineers

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

• Materials Engineers85% skill match
• Computer and Information Systems Managers84% skill match
• Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians84% skill match
• Construction Managers83% skill match
• Architectural and Civil Drafters83% skill match
• Physics Teachers, Postsecondary83% skill match
• Medical Dosimetrists83% skill match
• Fashion Designers82% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

• Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.9/5
• Coordinationimportance 3.3/5
• Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.3/5
• Systems Analysisimportance 3.3/5
• Systems Evaluationimportance 3.3/5
• Operations Analysisimportance 3.1/5
• Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.0/5
• Instructingimportance 3.0/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

• Attention to Detail
• Dependability
• Innovation
• Cautiousness
• Intellectual Curiosity
• Achievement Orientation
• Integrity

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

• RealisticHigh
• InvestigativeHigh
• ConventionalMedium
• EnterprisingLow
• ArtisticLow
• SocialLow

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where electrical engineers make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).

1. 1Huntsville, AL6.42× national avg
2. 2Kokomo, IN4.71× national avg
3. 3Lexington Park, MD4.62× national avg
4. 4Manchester-Nashua, NH4.10× national avg
5. 5Burlington-South Burlington, VT3.82× national avg

Possible Career Moves

A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.

• Computer and Information Systems ManagersCareer Change
• Materials EngineersLateral Move
• Construction ManagersCareer Change
• Materials ScientistsCareer Change

See the full career path from Electrical Engineers →

Related Education Programs

Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.