Electrical Engineer Salary
Electrical Engineers earn a median $120,630 a year nationally. Architecture and Engineering Occupations
U.S. median
$120,630
$58.00 per hour
Range
$76,550 – $184,300
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
198,750
across the U.S.
▲7.8%
Pay trend: The median for electrical engineers in the U.S. rose from $111,910 (May 2024) to $120,630 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 5.4%.
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.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +9.9% (much faster than average)
- Openings per year
- 11,400
Employment of electrical engineers is projected to grow 9.9% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 11,400 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Electrical Engineer take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$93,693
per year · effective tax rate 22.3%
$7,808Monthly
$3,904Twice a month
$3,604Every 2 weeks
$45.04Hourly
- Federal income tax$17,709
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,479
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,749
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$93,693
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $76,550 | $36.80 | $62,683 |
| 25th percentile | $92,830 | $44.63 | $74,136 |
| Median (50th) | $120,630 | $58.00 | $93,693 |
| 75th percentile | $152,950 | $73.53 | $115,807 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $184,300 | $88.61 | $137,235 |
Best cities for electrical engineers (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin, TX | $145,360 | $110,620 | $112,801 | 4,070 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $187,060 | $123,681 | $112,007 | 4,160 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | $131,070 | $100,852 | $102,254 | 5,770 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $140,210 | $107,100 | $96,371 | 4,930 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $166,030 | $111,378 | $96,337 | 2,470 |
| 6 | Dallas, TX | $124,390 | $96,287 | $93,400 | 5,720 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $127,730 | $94,648 | $92,291 | 3,520 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $128,610 | $92,960 | $85,863 | 4,030 |
| 9 | Los Angeles, CA | $139,780 | $96,219 | $84,725 | 8,970 |
| 10 | Detroit, MI | $114,390 | $84,693 | $84,441 | 6,060 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $119,020 | $88,032 | $83,220 | 2,620 |
| 12 | Washington, DC | $126,420 | $89,897 | $82,562 | 4,450 |
| 13 | New York, NY | $128,340 | $92,455 | $82,136 | 6,290 |
| 14 | Baltimore, MD | $116,650 | $85,691 | $82,011 | 2,770 |
| 15 | Minneapolis, MN | $117,230 | $84,853 | $80,950 | 2,410 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $113,520 | $83,217 | $80,329 | 4,290 |
| 17 | San Diego, CA | $127,270 | $88,994 | $79,539 | 2,400 |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $99,160 | $76,319 | $73,869 | 3,420 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Jose, CA — $187,060
- San Francisco, CA — $166,030
- Austin, TX — $145,360
- Seattle, WA — $140,210
- Los Angeles, CA — $139,780
- Houston, TX — $131,070
- Boston, MA — $128,610
- New York, NY — $128,340
- Philadelphia, PA — $127,730
- San Diego, CA — $127,270
- Washington, DC — $126,420
- Dallas, TX — $124,390
- Denver, CO — $119,020
- Minneapolis, MN — $117,230
- Baltimore, MD — $116,650
Electrical Engineer salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $158,520 | +10.2% | $113,178 | $102,880 – $202,680 | 2,560 |
| California | $144,040 | +2.6% | $98,679 | $81,840 – $217,760 | 24,230 |
| District of Columbia | $143,000 | +3.0% | $99,820 | $87,450 – $195,190 | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $135,710 | +3.0% | $104,024 | $92,700 – $202,790 | 1,600 |
| Washington | $132,710 | +1.5% | $101,973 | $85,540 – $185,690 | 7,610 |
| Texas | $129,450 | +22.6% | $99,745 | $76,120 – $210,160 | 20,870 |
| Idaho | $129,340 | +0.3% | $93,923 | $77,070 – $165,410 | 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $127,720 | +1.4% | $92,397 | $78,140 – $176,470 | 5,040 |
| Delaware | $126,970 | +13.7% | $91,011 | $83,600 – $152,060 | 660 |
| Alaska | $125,970 | +15.8% | $97,366 | $82,360 – $177,110 | 350 |
| Alabama | $125,630 | +8.4% | $91,118 | $77,840 – $180,220 | 4,600 |
| New Jersey | $125,370 | +0.2% | $91,160 | $80,630 – $174,450 | 2,940 |
| Oregon | $125,160 | +14.1% | $86,691 | $83,500 – $166,240 | 2,540 |
| Maryland | $125,150 | +0.6% | $91,179 | $76,650 – $194,810 | 4,650 |
| Louisiana | $123,710 | +13.9% | $92,497 | $77,210 – $178,330 | 990 |
| Colorado | $120,760 | +7.0% | $89,180 | $81,720 – $177,310 | 4,200 |
| Virginia | $119,030 | −2.7% | $86,537 | $80,320 – $173,400 | 7,260 |
| New York | $119,010 | +5.7% | $86,572 | $74,870 – $168,820 | 8,770 |
| Missouri | $118,670 | +11.8% | $87,674 | $77,620 – $166,710 | 2,410 |
| Maine | $114,620 | +3.2% | $82,766 | $78,930 – $161,230 | 1,150 |
| West Virginia | $113,420 | +4.6% | $84,089 | $76,830 – $156,250 | 500 |
| Wyoming | $111,740 | +0.0% | $87,439 | $60,760 – $146,990 | 280 |
| Vermont | $111,310 | −5.7% | $82,250 | $81,040 – $175,710 | 820 |
| Pennsylvania | $110,820 | +1.0% | $83,390 | $77,650 – $167,260 | 6,970 |
| North Dakota | $110,810 | +2.1% | $85,883 | $77,350 – $155,520 | 260 |
| North Carolina | $110,130 | +2.2% | $82,421 | $66,800 – $203,490 | 7,090 |
| Minnesota | $109,510 | +4.1% | $79,947 | $78,750 – $167,030 | 3,150 |
| Illinois | $107,860 | +3.7% | $79,515 | $75,470 – $164,290 | 5,460 |
| Oklahoma | $107,760 | +3.4% | $80,335 | $74,060 – $187,140 | 2,080 |
| Nevada | $107,400 | +2.4% | $84,386 | $77,000 – $167,330 | 1,100 |
| Nebraska | $107,260 | +3.4% | $80,287 | $66,820 – $135,270 | 1,060 |
| Hawaii | $106,350 | +1.2% | $77,095 | $73,890 – $156,580 | 1,080 |
| Michigan | $106,070 | +3.0% | $79,193 | $75,880 – $159,090 | 10,840 |
| Iowa | $105,820 | −1.4% | $79,905 | $76,720 – $155,460 | 1,280 |
| Utah | $105,720 | −1.7% | $79,413 | $77,100 – $171,580 | 1,680 |
| Mississippi | $104,990 | +4.1% | $79,223 | $60,130 – $156,140 | 1,130 |
| Florida | $104,780 | −3.4% | $82,543 | $65,090 – $164,210 | 9,220 |
| Tennessee | $104,450 | −4.9% | $82,311 | $73,850 – $166,210 | 2,830 |
| Connecticut | $104,160 | +0.7% | $77,953 | $82,300 – $162,290 | 2,930 |
| Indiana | $102,670 | +1.1% | $78,059 | $69,290 – $152,480 | 4,000 |
| Kansas | $102,630 | +5.1% | $76,103 | $72,230 – $159,650 | 2,100 |
| Ohio | $100,620 | +0.6% | $77,631 | $72,690 – $149,390 | 6,360 |
| Arizona | $100,550 | −9.0% | $77,262 | $75,560 – $165,510 | 5,370 |
| Wisconsin | $99,700 | +0.5% | $75,065 | $74,850 – $132,990 | 3,550 |
| South Dakota | $98,980 | −2.9% | $78,462 | $69,580 – $138,210 | 530 |
| Kentucky | $98,550 | +3.0% | $74,828 | $63,270 – $138,460 | 1,540 |
| South Carolina | $98,440 | −5.5% | $73,333 | $69,260 – $156,330 | 3,490 |
| Arkansas | $96,860 | +0.4% | $73,406 | $67,920 – $136,770 | 900 |
| Montana | $87,360 | −12.0% | $66,713 | $72,910 – $133,180 | 790 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $130,220 | Bachelor's degree | +3.7% |
| Engineers, All Other | $122,930 | Bachelor's degree | +3.7% |
| Chemical Engineer | $125,040 | Bachelor's degree | +4.7% |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $115,160 | Bachelor's degree | +5.4% |
| Materials Engineer | $112,860 | Bachelor's degree | +7.5% |
| Marine Engineer and Naval Architect | $112,230 | Bachelor's degree | +6.7% |
| Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer | $109,370 | Bachelor's degree | +7.6% |
| Nuclear Engineer | $133,970 | Bachelor's degree | +0.4% |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 | Bachelor's degree | +6.3% |
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 | Bachelor's degree | +8.3% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a electrical engineer make?
The national median salary for electrical engineers is $120,630 a year ($58.00 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $76,550 and the top 10% earn over $184,300. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays electrical engineers the most?
New Mexico has the highest median pay at $158,520. After taxes and local prices, Austin, TX offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many electrical engineers are there in the U.S.?
About 198,750 people work as electrical engineers nationwide.