- Electrical Engineering Career Paths
- Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution
- Typical job titles
- Education and experience
- Electronics
- Typical job titles
- Education and experience
- Telecommunications
- Typical job titles
- Education and experience
- Manufacturing
- Typical job titles
- Education and experience
- Other career paths
Electrical Engineering Career Paths
Electrical engineering is a broad field that offers many different career paths. Electrical engineers can work in a variety of industries, including power generation, transmission, and distribution; electronics; telecommunications; and manufacturing.
Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution
Electrical engineers who work in power generation, transmission, and distribution design and maintain the systems that generate, transmit, and distribute electricity. They may work for utilities, power plants, or transmission companies.
Typical job titles
- Power engineer
- Transmission engineer
- Distribution engineer
Education and experience
Most electrical engineers who work in power generation, transmission, and distribution have a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. They may also have a master’s degree or doctorate in a related field. In addition to their education, electrical engineers who work in this field typically have several years of experience in the industry.
Electronics
Electrical engineers who work in electronics design and develop electronic products, such as computers, smartphones, and medical devices. They may work for electronics manufacturers, research and development companies, or government agencies.
Typical job titles
- Electronics engineer
- Circuit designer
- Analog engineer
- Digital engineer
Education and experience
Most electrical engineers who work in electronics have a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. They may also have a master’s degree or doctorate in a related field. In addition to their education, electrical engineers who work in this field typically have several years of experience in the industry.
Telecommunications
Electrical engineers who work in telecommunications design and maintain the systems that transmit voice, data, and video signals. They may work for telephone companies, cable companies, or satellite companies.
Typical job titles
- Telecommunications engineer
- Network engineer
- RF engineer
Education and experience
Most electrical engineers who work in telecommunications have a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. They may also have a master’s degree or doctorate in a related field. In addition to their education, electrical engineers who work in this field typically have several years of experience in the industry.
Manufacturing
Electrical engineers who work in manufacturing design and maintain the electrical systems that are used in manufacturing plants. They may work for manufacturers of cars, airplanes, appliances, or other products.
Typical job titles
- Manufacturing engineer
- Electrical engineer
- Automation engineer
Education and experience
Most electrical engineers who work in manufacturing have a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. They may also have a master’s degree or doctorate in a related field. In addition to their education, electrical engineers who work in this field typically have several years of experience in the industry.
Other career paths
In addition to the four main career paths listed above, electrical engineers can also work in a variety of other fields, such as:
- Automotive engineering
- Aerospace engineering
- Biomedical engineering
- Computer engineering
- Software engineering
- Systems engineering
The specific career path that an electrical engineer chooses will depend on their interests and skills. However, all electrical engineers have the potential to have a successful and rewarding career in this field.
