Electrical and electronics engineers design, develop,
test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment.
Electrical equipment includes power generating and transmission equipment used
by electric utilities, and electric motors, machinery controls, and lighting
and wiring in buildings, automobiles, and aircraft. Electronic equipment
includes radar, computer hardware, and communications and video equipment.
The specialties of electrical and electronics engineers
include several major areas-such as power generation, transmission, and
distribution; communications; computer electronics; and electrical equipment
manufacturing-or a subdivision of these areas-industrial robot control systems
or aviation electronics, for example. Electrical and electronics engineers
design new products, write performance requirements, and develop maintenance
schedules. They also test equipment, solve operating problems, and estimate the
time and cost of engineering projects.
Many engineers work in laboratories, industrial plants,
or construction sites, where they inspect, supervise, or solve onsite problems.
Others work in an office almost all of the time. Engineers in branches such as
civil engineering may work outdoors part of the time. A few engineers travel
extensively to plants or construction sites.
Many engineers work a standard 40-hour week. At times,
deadlines or design standards may bring extra pressure to a job. When this
happens, engineers may work long hours and experience considerable stress.
Electrical and electronics engineers held about 370,000
jobs in 1992, making it the largest branch of engineering. Most jobs were in
firms that manufacture electrical and electronic equipment, business machines,
professional and scientific equipment, and aircraft and aircraft parts.
Computer and data processing services firms, engineering and business
consulting firms, public utilities, and government agencies accounted for most
of the remaining jobs.
A bachelor's degree in engineering from an accredited
engineering program is usually required for beginning engineering jobs. College
graduates with a degree in a physical science or mathematics may occasionally
qualify for some engineering jobs, especially in engineering specialties in
high demand. Most engineering degrees are granted in branches such as
electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering. However, engineers trained in one
branch may work in another. This flexibility allows employers to meet staffing
needs in new technologies and specialties in short supply. It also allows
engineers to shift to fields with better employment prospects, or ones that
match their interests more closely.
In addition to the standard engineering degree, many
colleges offer degrees in engineering technology, which are offered as either
2- or 4-year programs. These programs prepare students for practical design and
production work rather than for jobs that require more theoretical, scientific
and mathematical knowledge. Graduates of 4-year technology programs may get
jobs similar to those obtained by graduates with a bachelor's degree in
engineering. In fact, some employers regard them as having skills between those
of a technician and an engineer.
Graduate training is essential for engineering faculty
positions but is not required for the majority of entry level engineering jobs.
Many engineers obtain a master's degree to learn new technology, to broaden
their education, and to enhance promotion opportunities.
Nearly 390 colleges and universities offer a bachelor's
degree in engineering, and nearly 300 colleges offer a bachelor's degree in
engineering technology, although not all are accredited programs. Although most
institutions offer programs in the larger branches of engineering, only a few
offer some of the smaller specialties. Also, programs of the same title may
vary in content. For example, some emphasize industrial practices, preparing
students for a job in industry, while others are more theoretical and are
better for students preparing to take graduate work. Therefore, students should
investigate curriculums and check accreditations carefully before selecting a
college. Admissions requirements for undergraduate engineering schools include
courses in advanced high school mathematics and the physical sciences.
Bachelor's degree programs in engineering are typically
designed to last 4 years, but many students find that it takes between 4 and 5
years to complete their studies. In a typical 4-year college curriculum, the
first 2 years are spent studying basic sciences (mathematics, physics, and
chemistry), introductory engineering, and the humanities, social sciences, and
English. In the last 2 years, most courses are in engineering, usually with a
concentration in one branch. For example, the last 2 years of an aerospace
program might include courses such as fluid mechanics, heat transfer, applied
aerodynamics, analytical mechanics, flight vehicle design, trajectory dynamics,
and aerospace propulsion systems. Some programs offer a general engineering
curriculum; students then specialize in graduate school or on the job.
A few engineering schools and 2-year colleges have
agreements whereby the 2-year college provides the initial engineering
education and the engineering school automatically admits students for their
last 2 years. In addition, a few engineering schools have arrangements whereby
a student spends 3 years in a liberal arts college studying preengineering
subjects and 2 years in the engineering school and receives a bachelor's degree
from each. Some colleges and universities offer 5-year master's degree
programs.
Some 5- or even 6-year cooperative plans combine
classroom study and practical work, permitting students to gain valuable
experience and finance part of their education.
All 50 States and the District of Columbia require
registration for engineers whose work may affect life, health, or property, or
who offer their services to the public. In 1992, nearly 380,000 engineers were
registered. Registration generally requires a degree from an engineering
program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, 4
years of relevant work experience, and passing a State examination. Some States
will not register people with degrees in engineering technology.
Beginning engineering graduates usually do routine work
under the supervision of experienced engineers and, in larger companies, may
also receive formal classroom or seminar-type training. As they gain knowledge
and experience, they are assigned more difficult tasks with greater
independence to develop designs, solve problems, and make decisions. Engineers
may become technical specialists or may supervise a staff or team of engineers
and technicians. Some eventually become engineering managers or enter other
managerial, management support, or sales jobs. (See the statements under
executive, administrative, and managerial occupations; under sales occupations;
and on computer systems analysts elsewhere in the Handbook.) Some engineers
obtain graduate degrees in engineering or business administration to improve
advancement opportunities; others obtain law degrees and become patent
attorneys. Many high level executives in government and industry began their
careers as engineers.
Engineers should be able to work as part of a team and
should have creativity, an analytical mind, and a capacity for detail. In
addition, engineers should be able to express themselves well-both orally and
in writing.
Related majors from the College Board
Guide to 150 Popular College Majors:
Employment opportunities for electrical and electronics
engineers are expected to be good through the year 2005. Most job openings will
result from job growth and the need to replace electrical engineers who
transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. These openings should
be sufficient to absorb the number of new graduates and other entrants.
Employment in this engineering specialty is expected to
increase about as fast as the average for all occupations. Job growth is
expected to be fastest in industrial sectors other than manufacturing.
Increased demand by businesses and government for computers and communications
equipment is expected to account for much of the projected employment growth.
Consumer demand for electrical and electronic goods and increased research and
development on computers, robots, and other types of automation should create
additional jobs.
Because many electrical engineering jobs are defense
related, cutbacks in defense spending could result in layoffs of electrical
engineers, especially if a defense- related project or contract is unexpectedly
cancelled. Furthermore, engineers who fail to keep up with the rapid changes in
technology in most specialties risk technological obsolescence, which makes
them more susceptible to layoffs or, at a minimum, likely to be passed over for
advancement.
Starting salaries for engineers with the bachelor's
degree are significantly higher than starting salaries of bachelor's degree
graduates in other fields. According to the College Placement Council,
engineering graduates with a bachelor's degree averaged about $34,000 a year in
private industry in 1992; those with a master's degree and no experience,
$39,200 a year; and those with a Ph.D., $54,400. Starting salaries for those
with the bachelor's degree vary by branch, as shown in the following
tabulation.
Petroleum $40,679
Chemical 39,203
Mechanical 34,462
Nuclear 34,447
Electrical 33,754
Materials 33,502
Industrial 32,348
Aerospace 31,826
Mining 31,177
Civil 29,376
A survey of workplaces in 160 metropolitan areas reported
that beginning engineers had median annual earnings of about $31,000 in 1992,
with the middle half earning between about $28,800 and $37,400 a year.
Experienced midlevel engineers with no supervisory responsibilities had median
annual earnings of about $52,500, with the middle half earning between about
$48,200 and $57,300 a year. Median annual earnings for engineers at senior
managerial levels were about $87,000. Median annual earnings for these and
other levels of engineers are shown in the following tabulation.
Engineer I $32,864
Engineer II 37,232
Engineer III 43,368
Engineer IV 52,520
Engineer V 63,596
Engineer VI 75,504
Engineer VII 87,048
Engineer VIII 102,544
The average annual salary for engineers in the Federal
Government in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and managerial positions was $54,422
in 1993.
Engineers apply the principles of physical science and
mathematics in their work. Other workers who use scientific and mathematical
principles include physical scientists, life scientists, computer scientists,
mathematicians, engineering and science technicians, and architects.
Related careers in this database:
Computer scientists and systems analysts
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 1828 L
St. NW., Suite 1202, Washington, DC 20036.
Source:
United States Bureau of Labor Statistics
http://www.collegeboard.com/apps/careers/0,3477,7-031,00.html