Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$76,550
- 25th Percentile — Junior$92,830
- 50th Percentile — Median$120,630
- 75th Percentile — Senior$152,950
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$184,300
The top 10% of Electrical Engineers earn $184,300 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $76,550, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $155,400 | +24.2% |
| California | $151,180 | +20.8% |
| Rhode Island (est.) | $143,865 | +15.0% |
| District of Columbia | $142,760 | +14.1% |
| New Hampshire | $142,360 | +13.8% |
| Washington | $136,970 | +9.5% |
| Texas | $135,580 | +8.4% |
| Massachusetts | $130,190 | +4.1% |
| Maryland | $129,390 | +3.4% |
| New Jersey | $126,990 | +1.5% |
| Colorado | $126,480 | +1.1% |
| Alabama | $126,380 | +1.0% |
| Idaho | $126,200 | +0.9% |
| Louisiana | $124,290 | -0.6% |
| Oregon | $124,140 | -0.8% |
| Virginia | $123,830 | -1.0% |
| Delaware | $122,850 | -1.8% |
| Missouri | $122,690 | -1.9% |
| Alaska | $122,500 | -2.1% |
| Vermont | $122,250 | -2.3% |
| New York | $122,140 | -2.4% |
| North Carolina | $121,380 | -3.0% |
| Utah | $118,630 | -5.2% |
| Maine | $118,510 | -5.3% |
| Oklahoma | $118,440 | -5.3% |
| Pennsylvania | $118,310 | -5.4% |
| Minnesota | $118,190 | -5.5% |
| Georgia (est.) | $116,343 | -7.0% |
| Nevada | $115,770 | -7.5% |
| Connecticut | $114,730 | -8.3% |
| Tennessee | $114,680 | -8.3% |
| Illinois | $114,640 | -8.4% |
| West Virginia | $114,260 | -8.7% |
| Arizona | $113,710 | -9.1% |
| Iowa | $113,330 | -9.4% |
| Michigan | $112,740 | -9.9% |
| North Dakota | $112,380 | -10.2% |
| Wyoming | $111,490 | -10.9% |
| Florida | $111,430 | -10.9% |
| Hawaii | $111,270 | -11.1% |
| Kansas | $110,860 | -11.4% |
| Mississippi | $108,700 | -13.1% |
| Indiana | $107,710 | -13.9% |
| Nebraska | $107,140 | -14.4% |
| Ohio | $106,150 | -15.1% |
| South Carolina | $104,580 | -16.4% |
| Wisconsin | $103,550 | -17.2% |
| South Dakota | $102,770 | -17.8% |
| Arkansas | $99,960 | -20.1% |
| Kentucky | $99,530 | -20.4% |
| Montana | $98,930 | -20.9% |
What Factors Affect Electrical Engineers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Electrical Engineers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: New Mexico pays an average of $155,400, while Montana pays $98,930 — a gap of $56,470 per year.
The middle half of Electrical Engineers earn between $92,830 and $152,950 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $76,550, while the top 10% earn more than $184,300.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Electrical Engineers?
The average salary for Electrical Engineers in the United States is $125,100 per year, with a median of $120,630.
What is the starting salary for Electrical Engineers?
Entry-level Electrical Engineers typically earn between $76,550 and $92,830 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Electrical Engineers the most?
New Mexico pays Electrical Engineers the most at $155,400 per year on average, followed by California ($151,180) and District of Columbia ($142,760).
How much do Electrical Engineers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $125,100, Electrical Engineers earn approximately $60.14 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Electrical Engineers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 198,750 Electrical Engineers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $125,100 and a median of $120,630 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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