Best degree programs for Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians, ranked by enrollment
9 college programs and 664 schools train Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $78,190 median wage, 95,130 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
9 college programs at 664 schools train electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians, graduating 17,185 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician. The job pays a median of $78,190 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
Apply electrical and electronic theory and related knowledge, usually under the direction of engineering staff, to design, build, repair, adjust, and modify electrical components, circuitry, controls, and machinery for subsequent evaluation and use by engineering staff in making engineering design decisions.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
9 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 15.0303 | 7,489 | 43.6% | 358 | $59,859 | $15,372 |
| 2 | CIP 15.0000 | 3,595 | 20.9% | 197 | $59,718 | $25,375 |
| 3 | Automation Engineer Technology/Technicianmain feeder CIP 15.0406 | 1,785 | 10.4% | 101 | $60,286 | $15,383 |
| 4 | CIP 15.0399 | 1,734 | 10.1% | 64 | $59,859 | $15,372 |
| 5 | CIP 15.1202 | 1,213 | 7.1% | 67 | $48,829 | $21,696 |
| 6 | Computer Engineering Technology/Technicianmain feeder CIP 15.1201 | 951 | 5.5% | 81 | $48,829 | $21,696 |
| 7 | Telecommunications Technology/Technicianmain feeder CIP 15.0305 | 332 | 1.9% | 26 | $59,859 | $15,372 |
| 8 | CIP 15.0616 | 82 | 0.5% | 10 | $57,188 | $22,000 |
| 9 | CIP 15.0306 | 4 | 0.0% | 1 | $59,859 | $15,372 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
What electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $85,510 | 1,980 | 0.53× | 29 | 1,789 |
| Virginia | $79,540 | 4,670 | 1.86× | 27 | 1,553 |
| Ohio | $63,300 | 3,260 | 0.96× | 38 | 1,457 |
| Texas | $74,050 | 8,960 | 1.04× | 32 | 1,090 |
| Florida | $73,190 | 4,710 | 0.78× | 37 | 1,005 |
| California | $86,090 | 13,450 | 1.21× | 31 | 853 |
| Tennessee | $63,750 | 1,820 | 0.91× | 19 | 749 |
| Kentucky | $64,120 | 1,060 | 0.86× | 17 | 712 |
| New York | $77,040 | 4,390 | 0.74× | 32 | 688 |
| North Carolina | $76,040 | 2,490 | 0.83× | 33 | 602 |
| Indiana | $70,540 | 1,800 | 0.92× | 8 | 535 |
| Minnesota | $78,280 | 1,540 | 0.85× | 18 | 450 |
| Michigan | $74,800 | 2,350 | 0.87× | 29 | 426 |
| Georgia | $78,070 | 1,630 | 0.54× | 19 | 333 |
| Missouri | $72,120 | 1,390 | 0.77× | 12 | 324 |
| Alabama | $74,500 | 1,620 | 1.25× | 10 | 310 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,070 | 3,470 | 0.93× | 26 | 298 |
| New Jersey | $85,510 | 2,250 | 0.86× | 13 | 296 |
| Arkansas | $69,960 | 310 | 0.39× | 16 | 253 |
| South Carolina | $73,450 | 2,060 | 1.46× | 13 | 235 |
| Colorado | $77,440 | 1,410 | 0.80× | 8 | 230 |
| Kansas | $70,310 | 770 | 0.87× | 10 | 215 |
| Wisconsin | $71,880 | 1,520 | 0.84× | 13 | 200 |
| Washington | $93,930 | 2,540 | 1.17× | 14 | 197 |
| Iowa | $74,840 | 880 | 0.93× | 12 | 182 |
| Maryland | $95,830 | 2,170 | 1.29× | 9 | 171 |
| Louisiana | $82,990 | 1,000 | 0.84× | 9 | 136 |
| Idaho | $77,170 | 650 | 1.24× | 6 | 133 |
| North Dakotamoderate | $80,930 | 120 | 0.47× | 4 | 133 |
| Oklahoma | $80,880 | 1,170 | 1.12× | 9 | 133 |
| Nevada | $88,160 | 1,140 | 1.20× | 5 | 132 |
| Utah | $72,670 | 1,420 | 1.34× | 5 | 132 |
| Arizona | $77,960 | 2,260 | 1.14× | 11 | 130 |
| Massachusetts | $77,710 | 4,030 | 1.81× | 8 | 98 |
| New Mexico | $96,070 | 1,000 | 1.88× | 10 | 87 |
| Mississippi | $81,180 | 650 | 0.91× | 7 | 84 |
| Mainemoderate | $83,440 | 270 | 0.68× | 4 | 69 |
| Oregon | $77,990 | 1,920 | 1.59× | 8 | 65 |
| West Virginia | $85,440 | 300 | 0.70× | 8 | 65 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $81,390 | 1,190 | 1.14× | 4 | 54 |
| South Dakotamoderate | $58,340 | 200 | 0.73× | 4 | 39 |
| Nebraskalimited | $65,490 | 710 | 1.13× | 2 | 35 |
| Delawarelimited | $67,360 | 130 | 0.43× | 2 | 29 |
| Hawaiimoderate | $96,200 | 460 | 1.19× | 3 | 27 |
| Rhode Islandmoderate | $98,600 | 290 | 0.95× | 3 | 26 |
| Montanalimited | $82,050 | 140 | 0.44× | 2 | 25 |
| New Hampshiremoderate | $74,560 | 590 | 1.42× | 4 | 19 |
| Wyominglimited | $99,840 | 200 | 1.18× | 2 | 14 |
| Vermontlimited | $74,760 | 300 | 1.62× | 1 | 6 |
| District of Columbialimited | $97,620 | 240 | 0.56× | 1 | 4 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Modify, maintain, or repair electronics equipment or systems to ensure proper functioning.
- Replace defective components or parts, using hand tools and precision instruments.
- Set up and operate specialized or standard test equipment to diagnose, test, or analyze the performance of electronic components, assemblies, or systems.
- Read blueprints, wiring diagrams, schematic drawings, or engineering instructions for assembling electronics units, applying knowledge of electronic theory and components.
- Identify and resolve equipment malfunctions, working with manufacturers or field representatives as necessary to procure replacement parts.
- Assemble electrical systems or prototypes, using hand tools or measuring instruments.
- Review electrical engineering plans to ensure adherence to design specifications and compliance with applicable electrical codes and standards.
- Assemble, test, or maintain circuitry or electronic components, according to engineering instructions, technical manuals, or knowledge of electronics, using hand or power tools.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Active Listening3.6
- Writing3.3
- Speaking3.3
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Learning3.1
- Mathematics2.8
Knowledge areas
- Computers and Electronics4.4
- Engineering and Technology4.4
- English Language3.8
- Design3.6
- Mathematics3.5
- Customer and Personal Service3.3
Abilities
- Inductive Reasoning3.9
- Deductive Reasoning3.9
- Written Comprehension3.9
- Oral Comprehension3.8
- Near Vision3.8
- Problem Sensitivity3.6
Core activities
- Working with Computers4.4
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.2
- Getting Information4.2
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.0
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.0
- Documenting/Recording Information3.9
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Electrical
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 9 majors mapped to Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians9 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 15.0000Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
- 15.0303Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician
- 15.0305Telecommunications Technology/Technician
- 15.0306Integrated Circuit Design Technology/Technician
- 15.0399Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other
- 15.0406Automation Engineer Technology/Technician
- 15.0616Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology/Technician
- 15.1201Computer Engineering Technology/Technician
- 15.1202Computer/Computer Systems Technology/Technician
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become an Electrical?+
Associate's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician, which awarded 7,489 degrees in 2024-25, 43.6% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming an Electrical?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 9 programs to this occupation. The largest are Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians, plus 1 more. Together they graduate about 17,185 people a year.
How much do electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians earn?+
The median is $78,190 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $49,510 at the 10th percentile to $115,700 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians growing?+
BLS projects a +0.6% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 8,400 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
664 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 9 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Technologist, Engineering Technologist, Electronics Engineering Technician, Engineering Technician (Engineering Tech) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 17-3023.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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