The job market for electrical engineers in the United States

There are currently an estimated 188,300 electrical engineers in the United States. The electrical engineer job market is expected to grow by 8.6% between 2016 and 2026.

How employable are electrical engineers?

CareerExplorer rates electrical engineers with a D employability rating, meaning this career should provide weak employment opportunities for the foreseeable future. Over the next 10 years, it is expected the US will need 20,200 electrical engineers. That number is based on 16,200 additional electrical engineers, and the retirement of 4,000 existing electrical engineers.

Are electrical engineers in demand?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), two occupations long associated with innovation – electrical and electronics engineering – have all but stalled in their growth. The slow rate of growth in most manufacturing sectors is getting much of the blame for the stall in this occupation. This bleak view of the field is in direct contrast with industry claims that the United States has a massive shortage of skilled electrical engineers. American companies maintain that this is not an issue of declining demand, but rather one of declining investment in U.S. workers in favour of lobbying Congress for access to inexpensive foreign labour. Some observers claim that the demand for American electrical engineers would improve if the U.S. insisted that rockets that launch astronauts, satellites, weather, and GPS equipment were made in the U.S. The BLS predicts that most opportunities for electrical and electronics engineers will be with engineering service firms, as companies seek to reduce costs by contracting. Electrical engineers familiar with developing technologies in the areas of solar arrays, semiconductors, and communications will be best positioned to find jobs.

What’s the supply of electrical engineers?

The electrical engineer industry is concentrated in California, Texas, New York

Electrical Engineer job market by state