isworthit

Is Electrical Engineering a Good Career?

2026 data · Last updated 2026-07-05

The verdict

Yes — electrical engineering offers high pay from a bachelor's degree and demand riding the chip, energy, and electrification booms. It's one of the harder degrees, but the payoff and stability are excellent.

The numbers behind the verdict

The pay and outlook that back up the call above — real BLS figures, not a salary table to browse.

Median salary
$120,630/yr
Job growth
+7.2% (2024-2034, faster than average)
Cost to enter
$39,000

bachelor's degree (4 yr public in-state)

Payback period
~0.3 yr of median pay to recoup tuition
More BLS detail (pay range, employment, entry education)
Typical pay range (25th–75th pct)
$92,830 – $152,950
People employed (U.S.)
198,750
Avg. annual openings
~11,700
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree

Salary: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS). Growth: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034. Cost & payback estimated from NCES tuition (AY2022–23); payback is a simplified tuition-to-median-pay proxy and excludes aid and opportunity cost.

Pay varies by state: Electrical Engineering earns from $87,360 in Montana to $158,520 in New Mexico. See your state — adjusted for cost of living & tax.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • High pay from a bachelor's degree
  • Demand from chips, energy, and electrification
  • Versatile across hardware, power, and embedded systems
  • Faster-than-average projected growth
  • Strong path into specialized, high-paying niches

Cons

  • One of the most rigorous, math-heavy degrees
  • Steep learning curve
  • Some roles require on-site or lab work
  • PE license needed for certain positions

Who it's for

✓ A good fit if…

  • Strong math students who like abstract systems
  • People wanting high pay from a bachelor's
  • Anyone drawn to electronics, power, or hardware

✗ Probably not if…

  • People who struggle with heavy math
  • Those wanting a low-effort degree

What people are actually asking

Real Reddit discussions on whether Electrical Engineering is worth it — titles link to the original threads.

FAQ

Is electrical engineering worth it?

Yes — it offers high pay from a bachelor's degree and strong demand from the chip, energy, and electrification booms. It's among the most rigorous degrees, but the payoff and stability are excellent.

How much does an electrical engineer make?

The median annual wage is $120,630 (BLS OEWS, May 2024 release), with the middle 50% earning between $92,830 and $152,950.

What's the job outlook for an electrical engineer?

BLS projects +7.2% (2024-2034, faster than average) in employment from 2024 to 2034, with about 12k openings per year on average.

Electrical Engineering salary by state

Tap a state for its median pay adjusted for cost of living and state income tax — 49 states with BLS data, highest first.

Sources