by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 425 U.S. colleges awarded 26,795 degrees and certificates in Electrical Engineering. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 56% of graduates. College Factual ranks 298 schools in its 2027 Best Electrical Engineering Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $82,517 one year after completing, rising to $107,328 after four years.
A major in Electrical Engineering involves the study of Electrical And Electronics Engineering. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Mathematical And Scientific Principles To The Design, Development And Operational Evaluation Of Electrical And Electronic Systems And Their Components, Including Electrical Power Generation Systems; And The Analysis Of Problems Such As Superconductor, Wave Propagation, Energy Storage And Retrieval, And Reception And Amplification. Examples: [Electrical Engineering], [Total Ship Systems Engineering], [Electrodynamic Engineering].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, electrical engineering is a popular field of study, with 26,795 degrees awarded annually. 425 colleges award electrical engineering degrees, an average of 63 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 720.
By level, the 26,795 awards include 273 certificates, 248 associate degrees, 15,073 bachelor’s degrees, 9,078 master’s degrees and 2,123 doctorates.
Women earned 18% of electrical engineering degrees and certificates in the latest year (4,836 of 26,795). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (9,517) and Asian (3,659), and international students earned 7,667.
College Factual ranks 298 schools in its 2027 Best Electrical Engineering Schools ranking, including 6 for associate degrees, 277 for bachelor’s degrees, 138 for master’s degrees and 66 for doctorates. It also ranks electrical engineering schools within 50 states. In all, 425 colleges offer electrical engineering programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Electrical Engineering Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common electrical engineering credential is the bachelor’s degree: 15,073 of the 26,795 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to electrical engineering call most for Speaking, Reading Comprehension and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Engineering and Technology, Computers and Electronics and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
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How long an electrical engineering degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 273 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 248 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 15,073 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 9,078 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 2,123 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to electrical engineering, at 30.9%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 30.9% |
| Doctoral degree | 29.2% |
| Master’s degree | 15.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 9.1% |
| Post-doctoral training | 8.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.7% |
| First professional degree | 1.3% |
| Some college courses | 0.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.7% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.4% |
Source: O*NET Online.
8 occupations are related to Electrical Engineering, with an average median salary of $87,585; the strongest outlook belongs to Electronics Engineers, Except Computer, at 13.8% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Environmental Engineering Professor, Manufacturing Engineering Professor, Television Engineering Teacher and Engineering Professor.
The occupation related to electrical engineering with the most projected jobs is Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,297,204.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 412,134 | 11.3% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
| Electrical Engineers | 201,088 | 13.6% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 138,496 | 5.1% |
| Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists | 90,668 | 0.3% |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 84,547 | 13.8% |
Electrical Engineering graduates earn a median $82,517 one year after completing their program, $107,328 after four years and $106,226 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $82,517 |
| 4 years | $107,328 |
| 5 years | $106,226 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to electrical engineering is Electrical Engineers, with a median salary of $127,814.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Electrical Engineers | $127,814 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $122,969 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,889 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $63,909 |
| Aerospace Engineers | $63,328 |
| Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists | $52,230 |
Electrical Engineering has 3 similar majors in the Engineering field, which together award 718 degrees a year; the largest are Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering, Other (437), Telecommunications Engineering (165) and Laser and Optical Engineering (116). Browse all Engineering majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering, Other | 437 |
| Telecommunications Engineering | 165 |
| Laser and Optical Engineering | 116 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
