Electrical Engineer salary: how much does an electrical engineer make?
An electrical engineer in the US earns a median of $120,630 a year, about $58.00 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $76,550 and the top 10% earn over $184,300. Pay depends heavily on the state: the top-paying state, New Mexico, has a median of $158,520.
Electrical Engineer pay calculator
Gross pay before taxes. If you enter your own hourly rate, it replaces the BLS figure. Otherwise hourly rate = BLS annual figure ÷ 2,080 hours (40 hours × 52 weeks), the same convention BLS uses.
How much does an electrical engineer make an hour?
The median electrical engineer earns $58.00 an hour. Hourly pay ranges from about $36.80 for the lowest-paid 10% to $88.61 for the highest-paid 10%.
| Pay level | Per year | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (bottom 10%) | $76,550 | $36.80 |
| Lower 25% | $92,830 | $44.63 |
| Median (typical) | $120,630 | $58.00 |
| Upper 25% | $152,950 | $73.53 |
| Top 10% | $184,300 | $88.61 |
Electrical Engineer salary by state
Median annual pay for electrical engineers by state, from BLS May 2025 data. “Not published” means BLS did not release a figure for that state, usually because too few employers reported this job there.
| State | Median per year | ≈ Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $125,630 | $60.40 |
| Alaska | $125,970 | $60.56 |
| Arizona | $100,550 | $48.34 |
| Arkansas | $96,860 | $46.57 |
| California | $144,040 | $69.25 |
| Colorado | $120,760 | $58.06 |
| Connecticut | $104,160 | $50.08 |
| Delaware | $126,970 | $61.04 |
| District of Columbia | $143,000 | $68.75 |
| Florida | $104,780 | $50.38 |
| Georgia | Not published | – |
| Hawaii | $106,350 | $51.13 |
| Idaho | $129,340 | $62.18 |
| Illinois | $107,860 | $51.86 |
| Indiana | $102,670 | $49.36 |
| Iowa | $105,820 | $50.88 |
| Kansas | $102,630 | $49.34 |
| Kentucky | $98,550 | $47.38 |
| Louisiana | $123,710 | $59.48 |
| Maine | $114,620 | $55.11 |
| Maryland | $125,150 | $60.17 |
| Massachusetts | $127,720 | $61.40 |
| Michigan | $106,070 | $51.00 |
| Minnesota | $109,510 | $52.65 |
| Mississippi | $104,990 | $50.48 |
| Missouri | $118,670 | $57.05 |
| Montana | $87,360 | $42.00 |
| Nebraska | $107,260 | $51.57 |
| Nevada | $107,400 | $51.63 |
| New Hampshire | $135,710 | $65.25 |
| New Jersey | $125,370 | $60.27 |
| New Mexico | $158,520 | $76.21 |
| New York | $119,010 | $57.22 |
| North Carolina | $110,130 | $52.95 |
| North Dakota | $110,810 | $53.27 |
| Ohio | $100,620 | $48.38 |
| Oklahoma | $107,760 | $51.81 |
| Oregon | $125,160 | $60.17 |
| Pennsylvania | $110,820 | $53.28 |
| Rhode Island | Not published | – |
| South Carolina | $98,440 | $47.33 |
| South Dakota | $98,980 | $47.59 |
| Tennessee | $104,450 | $50.22 |
| Texas | $129,450 | $62.24 |
| Utah | $105,720 | $50.83 |
| Vermont | $111,310 | $53.51 |
| Virginia | $119,030 | $57.23 |
| Washington | $132,710 | $63.80 |
| West Virginia | $113,420 | $54.53 |
| Wisconsin | $99,700 | $47.93 |
| Wyoming | $111,740 | $53.72 |
Highest-paying states for electrical engineers
- New Mexico: $158,520 median
- California: $144,040 median
- District of Columbia: $143,000 median
- New Hampshire: $135,710 median
- Washington: $132,710 median
The lowest published medians are in Montana ($87,360), Arkansas ($96,860), South Carolina ($98,440), Kentucky ($98,550), South Dakota ($98,980). The most electrical engineer jobs are in California (24,230 jobs), Texas (20,870 jobs), Michigan (10,840 jobs), Florida (9,220 jobs), New York (8,770 jobs).
How much does an electrical engineer make a month?
At the median salary of $120,630, an electrical engineer earns about $10,052 a month, $4,640 every two weeks or $2,320 a week, before taxes.
Entry-level vs. experienced electrical engineer pay
New electrical engineers typically start near the bottom of the range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $76,550 a year and the lowest 25% under $92,830. The top 25% earn over $152,950 and the top 10% over $184,300. BLS does not break pay down by years of experience; these percentiles are the closest official measure.
Electrical Engineer salary vs. similar jobs
| Job | Median per year |
|---|---|
| Electrical engineer | $120,630 |
| Aerospace engineer | $134,960 |
| Mechanical engineer | $104,110 |
| Civil engineer | $100,840 |
| Chemical engineer | $125,040 |
| Biomedical engineer | $109,370 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
Electrical engineering vs other engineering pay
| Engineering job (BLS May 2025) | Bottom 10% | Median | Top 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace engineers | $86,700 | $134,960 | $205,890 |
| Chemical engineers | $79,420 | $125,040 | $182,880 |
| Electrical engineers | $76,550 | $120,630 | $184,300 |
| Biomedical engineers | $71,850 | $109,370 | $168,180 |
| Mechanical engineers | $73,990 | $104,110 | $164,340 |
| Civil engineers | $68,240 | $100,840 | $163,220 |
| Architects | $62,300 | $99,280 | $161,420 |
Electrical Engineer take-home pay by state (2026)
2026 federal brackets and standard deduction, Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% plus 0.9% above $200,000 ($250,000 joint), and each state's 2026 income tax. Local income taxes, state disability or paid-leave payroll taxes and other deductions are not included. Estimate only, not tax advice.
Common questions
How much does an electrical engineer make?
The US median is $120,630 a year ($58.00 an hour), based on BLS May 2025 data.
How much does an electrical engineer make an hour?
The median is about $58.00 an hour. The bottom 10% earn about $36.80 and the top 10% about $88.61 an hour.
Which state pays electrical engineers the most?
New Mexico has the highest median at $158,520, followed by California ($144,040) and District of Columbia ($143,000).
How much does an electrical engineer make a month?
At the US median of $120,630 a year, about $10,052 a month or $4,640 every two weeks, before taxes.
How much does an entry-level electrical engineer make?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $76,550 a year and the lowest 25% under $92,830, the closest official measure of starting pay.
How much do the top 10% of electrical engineers make?
The top 10% earn over $184,300 a year; the top 25% earn over $152,950.
How much does an electrical engineer make in California, Texas, Florida and New York?
Median annual pay is $144,040 in California, $129,450 in Texas, $104,780 in Florida, $119,010 in New York, per BLS May 2025 data.
Last reviewed October 31, 2026. All figures are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 survey (occupation code 17-2071, “Electrical Engineers”), the most recent official release; “median” means half earn more and half earn less. Figures are gross pay before taxes and benefits. See the BLS OEWS tables and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. This page is general information, not career or financial advice.