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Electronics Engineering

Types of Degrees Electronics Engineering Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Electronics Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1,221
Associate’s Degree	2,994
Bachelor’s Degree	1,344
Master’s Degree	3,573

What Electronics Engineering Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Electronics Engineering build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Electronics Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Electronics Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Electronics Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Electronics Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Electronics Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.0 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.9 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Electronics Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Electronics Engineering graduates include:

• Test Technician
• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Instrumentation Technician
• Electrical Technician
• Field Service Technician
• Calibration Technician
• Certified Control Systems Technician
• Laser Specialist
• Engineering Assistant
• Technician
• Layout Designer
• Circuit Designer
• Electrical Design Technician
• Test Specialist
• Tester

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Electronics Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	27.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	25.7%
Postsecondary certificate	23.2%
Bachelor’s degree	12.4%
Some college courses	7.2%
Master’s degree	1.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.0%
Doctoral degree	0.5%
First professional degree	0.4%
Post-master’s certificate	0.4%
Less than a high school diploma	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Electronics Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 87.9% of Electronics Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,111	12.1%
Men	8,085	87.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Electronics Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	5,069	55.1%
Asian	419	4.6%
Hispanic or Latino	1,790	19.5%
Black or African American	1,062	11.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	56	0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	59	0.6%
Two or More Races	258	2.8%
Race Unknown	335	3.6%
International Students	148	1.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Electronics Engineering Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Electronics Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$62,062
4 years	$60,768
5 years	$67,536

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $67,536 — roughly 9% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Electronics Engineering Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Electronics Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	10	20
Bachelor’s	7	12

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Electronics Engineering Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Electronics Engineering graduates earn a median of $60,768 four years after completion — roughly 60% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Engineering Technologies	91,975
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians	11,920
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians	11,391
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	10,798
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians	9,702
Engineering-Related Fields	8,633
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	5,996
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician	5,089
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians	3,938
ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS	3,883
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians	3,275
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other	2,247

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.