How to Become an Electrical Engineer

Working as an electrical engineer is fascinating, fulfilling and illuminating (no pun intended). The job description involves pushing the boundaries of technology and creating solutions that can help millions of people at a time. What’s more, given high demand and projected growth in this field, salaries for a wide range of jobs are competitive.

But how do you attain such a desirable role? How do you become an electrical engineer?

Because it can sometimes be challenging to find reliable, updated information on how to enter the field, we’ve put together this step-by-step guide on how to become an electrical engineer. Starting with prepping for college, we’ll examine every part of the process—and the jobs you can apply for when you reach the end.

Step 1: Understand the Job

Before you begin your journey toward the field of electrical engineering, it’s worth asking if the job is right for you. To do that, it helps to understand what electrical engineers do and the differences in mechanical engineering vs. electrical engineering.

Electrical engineering is the study and application of electricity and electromagnetism. Through a mix of theoretical and practical concepts, electrical engineers build and improve electronic devices and electrical systems.

Depending on your exact job description and industry of choice, your everyday duties as an electrical engineer may include:

• Designing and testing electrical equipment
• Project management
• Consulting with clients or government officials
• Repairing electrical equipment systems that use or generate electrical power
• Ensuring products meet safety standards

No matter which of these tasks you find yourself handling as an electrical engineer, one thing is for certain: physics and mathematics will almost certainly be involved. As such, you should be prepared for an electrical engineering job that requires plenty of critical thinking and creative problem-solving.

With that said, don’t worry if you’re not yet an expert on linear algebra or differential equations—you’ll practice all the necessary skills in college. At this stage, all you need is an interest in those topics and a willingness to learn.

Step 2: Prepare for College

Though your electrical engineering journey “officially” begins with higher education, you can foster essential skills before you even step on to a college campus. If your high school offers advanced math and science classes, be sure to enroll—especially if there are programs that will earn you college credits.

Your preparation can also take place outside of the classroom. Look for opportunities to volunteer with local organizations, especially if they’ll give you a chance to practice the skills you’ll need in electrical engineering (such as math tutoring or building houses). Volunteering is a great way to: 

• Practice valuable interpersonal skills
• Give back to your community 
• Improve your college applications

Finally, sign up for any relevant extracurricular activities in your school or community. Robotics teams, computer programming boot camps and audiovisual clubs are all avenues for exploring concepts in electrical engineering.

Step 3: Complete Your Undergraduate Degree

As most electrical engineering jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree, your next step should be applying for college. Specifically, you’ll want to look for an electrical engineering program from an accredited school.

Like most undergraduate programs, an electrical engineering degree takes around four years of full-time schooling (though you can often graduate earlier if you take classes during the summer). The vast majority of electrical engineering programs will provide students with a bachelor of science (BS) degree. However, some schools offer a more diversified bachelor of arts (BA) in electrical engineering.

Whether you pursue a BS or a BA, you’ll take many of the same core courses. To give you an example of a potential schedule, here are some of the required courses from North Central College’s electrical engineering program:

• Introduction to Computer Programming
• Introduction to Electrical Engineering
• Circuit Analysis I
• Analog and Digital Signals
• Motors and Actuators
• The Engineering Method
• Engineering Calculations
• Calculus I-III
• Physics I: Mechanics and Heat
• Physics II: Electromagnetism, Waves, and Optics

Many electrical engineering degrees may also include an internship. Once you fulfill all the requirements of your undergraduate degree, you can start working as an engineer.

Jobs You Can Apply for at This Stage

With your bachelor’s degree in hand, you’ll be qualified to work in many of the industries that employ electrical engineers. And because most modern technologies incorporate electrical devices in one way or another, your options are practically limitless.

Here are just a few of the roles you can apply for after graduation:

• Computer Hardware Engineer – If your interests lie in computers and you are weighing your choice of computer engineering vs. electrical engineering, try combining both and specialize in hardware design and development. You’ll work to build and test processors, hard drives, and routers, usually in a lab. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), computer hardware engineers earn a median annual salary of $119,560.

• Health and Safety Engineer – These engineers work in the public and private sectors to ensure people and property are kept safe. By designing and installing safety mechanisms, you can make a difference in your community—and earn an average salary of $94,240 per year while doing it according to the BLS.

• Electrical or Electronics Engineer – Electrical engineers typically work on large-scale projects, such as aircrafts and systems that generate electricity; electronics engineers tend to focus on smaller devices. Both roles can be fascinating and the average annual electrical engineer salary is $103,390 according to the BLS.