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How to Become an Electrical Engineer: Degree & Pay (2026)
Key takeaway: You become an electrical engineer by earning a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, ideally one accredited by ABET's Engineering Accreditation Commission, and then getting hired into a design or analysis role. There is no license requirement for most of this work: the majority of electrical engineers practice under an industry exemption and never sit for the Professional Engineer exam. Licensure matters for consulting, utility, and public-facing engineering, and it runs Fundamentals of Engineering exam, then documented experience, then the PE exam. Electrical engineers earned a median annual wage of $120,630 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS).
Two things about this path surprise people. The first is that the degree does almost all of the gatekeeping: employers screen on an ABET-accredited BS in electrical engineering, and there is no portfolio or bootcamp route into analog, power, or radio-frequency design the way there is into software. The second is that despite the title, most electrical engineers are not licensed professionals. Both facts should shape how you plan.
If you are still deciding between disciplines, compare computer engineering for digital systems and the hardware-software boundary, or the general engineering program guide if you have not narrowed the field.
View the data behind this chart
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $76,550 |
| 25th percentile | $92,830 |
| Median | $120,630 |
| 75th percentile | $152,950 |
| 90th percentile | $184,300 |
Step-by-step: how to become an electrical engineer
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Build the math and science foundation. Calculus through differential equations, linear algebra, and calculus-based physics covering mechanics and electricity and magnetism. This is not a formality. It is the actual content of the degree, and it is where attrition happens. If you are returning to school, take the math sequence seriously as its own project before the engineering core begins.
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Earn a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, ABET-accredited if you can. The online bachelor’s in electrical engineering page covers the market honestly: fully online ABET-accredited programs are rare, and the common online routes are degree-completion tracks, hybrid programs with campus laboratory weeks, and electrical engineering technology degrees accredited under a different ABET commission. Verify institutional accreditation through the U.S. Department of Education database and program accreditation through ABET. Check which commission accredits the program, since engineering and engineering technology are different credentials.
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Complete the laboratory sequence and a real design project. ABET-accredited programs require a major design experience, usually a team senior capstone with constraints, standards, and a working deliverable. This is the part of your transcript hiring managers ask about. If you are studying online, sort out early how you will be placed on a capstone team and what hardware you must supply. See how online electrical engineering degrees work.
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Take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam in your final year. The FE is administered by NCEES and is normally the first step toward licensure. Most candidates take the Electrical and Computer version. Passing makes you an engineer-in-training or engineer intern, depending on your state’s terminology. Take it while the coursework is fresh even if you are unsure about licensure, because it is far harder five years into a job.
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Get hired into an engineering role and build evidence. Internships and co-ops matter more in this field than most, because employers want proof you have measured something and debugged something. Entry titles include electrical design engineer, test engineer, applications engineer, hardware engineer, and power systems engineer. Defense and aerospace roles frequently require a security clearance, which an employer sponsors; you cannot obtain one on your own.
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Decide whether you need the PE license. If you work in consulting, for a utility, or on public infrastructure, plan on it. State boards typically require an ABET-accredited degree, a passed FE, several years of qualifying experience under a licensed engineer, and a passed PE exam. Requirements are set state by state, so read your board’s rules rather than a national summary. If you work in semiconductors, consumer electronics, or most manufacturing, you may never need it.
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Specialize, then consider a master’s. After a few years you will know whether power systems, signal processing, controls, radio frequency, or microelectronics is your lane. That is the moment an online master’s in electrical engineering pays off, because you can choose electives against a real career direction instead of a guess.
What degree do you need to be an electrical engineer?
- A bachelor’s in electrical engineering is the standard requirement and appears in nearly every job posting. ABET accreditation under the Engineering Accreditation Commission is what state boards recognize and what some employers screen for.
- Electrical engineering technology is a different, more applied credential accredited under the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission. It hires well into test, field service, manufacturing support, and controls work, and in many states it is a slower or blocked path to the PE license.
- A related engineering degree such as computer engineering or general engineering with an electrical engineering concentration is accepted for many roles. Check the ABET listing for the exact program name.
- A master’s is a specialization credential, not an entry requirement, and not a repair for a bachelor’s that is not ABET-accredited.
- No degree is not a realistic route into design engineering. It is a viable route into electronics technician work, which is a different occupation with a different wage tier.
See Is an Online Electrical Engineering Degree Worth It? for how to weigh the degree against the roles it actually reaches.
How much do electrical engineers make?
Electrical engineers earned a national median annual wage of $120,630 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Half earned more and half earned less. The spread is wide: the 10th percentile was $76,550 and the 90th percentile was $184,300. Employment was 192,000 in 2024 and is projected to grow 7.2 percent through 2034, with 11,700 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034).
Neighboring occupations set the context. Electronics engineers, except computer, had a median annual wage of $130,220, with a 10th percentile of $81,840 and a 90th percentile of $206,960, employment of 95,900, projected growth of 6.2 percent, and 5,700 openings per year. Computer hardware engineers had a median annual wage of $161,740, with a 90th percentile of $225,330, employment of 76,800, projected growth of 7.3 percent, and 4,700 openings per year. Later in a career, architectural and engineering managers had a median annual wage of $171,270 with 14,500 openings per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS; BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034).
The technician tier is a genuinely different market. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians had a median annual wage of $78,190 with 0.6 percent projected growth, and electrical and electronics drafters had a median annual wage of $76,870 with a projected 5.6 percent decline. Wages vary substantially by industry, geography, clearance status, and experience.
How long does it take to become an electrical engineer?
| Phase | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| Math and science prerequisites | Included in the degree, or 1-2 years if completed separately at a community college |
| Bachelor’s in electrical engineering | About 4 years full-time; commonly about 128-132 semester hours |
| Fundamentals of Engineering exam | Taken in the final year of the degree in most cases |
| First engineering role | Immediately after graduation; internships and co-ops shorten the search |
| Qualifying experience for licensure | Several years under a licensed engineer, set by your state board |
| Professional Engineer exam | After the experience requirement is satisfied |
| Master’s specialization | Commonly about 30-36 semester hours, often two to three years part-time while working |
These are ranges rather than guarantees. Catalogs set credit totals; state boards set licensure requirements; employers set hiring bars.
Frequently asked questions
What degree do you need to be an electrical engineer?
A bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, or a closely related engineering field. Programs accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission are the ones state licensing boards recognize and the ones many employers screen for. Electrical engineering technology is a different credential with a different accreditation and a different typical career path.
Do electrical engineers need a license?
Most do not. The majority work in industry under a practice-act exemption in their state and never take the Professional Engineer exam. The license is important for consulting, utility, and public infrastructure work, and for anyone who signs and seals engineering drawings. Many graduates take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam anyway to keep the option open.
How long does it take to become an electrical engineer?
About four years for the bachelor’s degree, which commonly runs about 128 to 132 semester hours. You can be hired immediately after graduation. Full Professional Engineer licensure adds several years of qualifying experience plus the PE exam, with the exact requirements set by your state board.
How much do electrical engineers make?
The national median annual wage was $120,630, with the 10th percentile at $76,550 and the 90th percentile at $184,300 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment is projected to grow 7.2 percent from 2024 to 2034, with 11,700 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034).
Can you become an electrical engineer with an online degree?
Yes, with a caveat that matters. Online master’s degrees are common and well established. Fully online, ABET-accredited bachelor’s degrees are rare because of the laboratory requirement, so most online undergraduate routes are degree-completion tracks, hybrid programs with campus laboratory weeks, or engineering technology degrees. Confirm the program’s ABET status and its laboratory plan before enrolling.
Is electrical engineering the same as being an electrician?
No. An electrician is a licensed skilled trade that installs and maintains electrical systems, entered through an apprenticeship and a state journeyman or master license. An electrical engineer designs and analyzes electrical systems and enters through a four-year engineering degree. The two work alongside each other and the credentials are not interchangeable.
Related guides
- Online Electrical Engineering Degrees Guide – the full hub covering degree levels and formats
- Online Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering – ABET rules, laboratories, and the prerequisite chain
- Online Master’s in Electrical Engineering – MS vs MEng and the specialization tracks
- What Can You Do With an Electrical Engineering Degree? – the jobs, with BLS wages
- How Online Electrical Engineering Degrees Work – how laboratories and exams are delivered
- Computer Engineering Program Guide – the digital-systems alternative
- Engineering Management Program Guide – the leadership track for practicing engineers
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025 national medians) and Employment Projections (2024-2034).
Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.