Isaac Said:

Will I get similar jobs with a degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering?

We Answered:

I would give project management a shot. Go talk to a commercial electrical contractor and just get a feel for it.

I am an assistant project manager for a commercial electrical contractor and I love it.

There are days were you will sit in front a computer all day, but other times you attend job meetings, site visits, and manage your electricians

Seth Said:

What is so cool about an an Electrical Engineering degree?

We Answered:

A degree in electrical engineering can allow you to pursue a job in almost any industry you can think of. After all, nearly everyone uses electricity and electrical devices, so industries demand skilled professionals to build, repair, and improve these devices.

Electrical engineers work in businesses such as:

* Scientific research and development firms
* Electrical component manufacturing companies.
* Power generation, distribution, and transmission.
* Manufacturers of navigation controls, medical equipment, and measurement devices
* Architectural firms

Although these industries employ the most engineers, they may not be right for everyone. Electrical engineering majors many options, more than enough for any student to find a job in a field they love. The following job titles represent only a handful of the choices available:

* Research Engineer. These engineers work in the lab, testing and inventing. This job requires a high level of creativity on the part of the engineer, as well as a great deal of patience. Whether inventing a new optoelectronic device or simply designing a better electric can opener, research engineers are responsible for the discovery stage technology behind any new electronic product.

* Design Engineer. Once a new technology is invented, it must be applied. The design engineer uses computer simulations and models in order to turn innovations like wireless technology into plans for the tiny parts that make up an actual cell phone. Design engineers must visualize how the insides of a future product could look, while inventing several possible scenarios for the applications of new technologies.

* Project Engineer. The project engineer oversees many specialist engineers through the construction of a working prototype of a new product or technology. The project engineer must have natural leadership ability, as well as a high proficiency in a variety of electrical engineering disciplines.

* Test Engineer. These engineers design programs to test the functions of electronic device and to troubleshoot those devices when things go wrong These engineers keep technology working properly, and understand which elements to test and in what order. Successful test engineers remain sharp, even after long hours on the job.

* System Engineer. Power grids, phone lines, and wireless networks all require the skills of a system engineer for proper installation and maintenance. High attention to detail is important for students who enter this profession. Experienced system engineers rely on their ability to think holistically about the systems they create.

* Application Engineer. Application engineers work with whatever resources are available, adapting existing equipment and technologies to fill the needs of their employers. They need to be resourceful, while counting on their keen understanding of the capabilities and the potential modifications of existing equipment.

Salary Expectations for Electrical Engineers
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, starting offers for students graduating with a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 2003 averaged around $50,000 a year. Those graduating with a Master's were offered about $65,000 a year to start, and PhD graduates began at around $74,000 a year.

Electrical engineering is the largest segment of the engineering population, with 292,000 professionals employed in the U.S. in 2002 alone. The number of jobs available for electrical engineers in the U.S. has been predicted to increase by nearly 30% in the ten years between 1996 and 2006. During the same period of time, California expects a 46% increase in electrical engineering jobs.

Vicki Said:

Can I get my masters of engineering in electrical engineering degree and work part-time at the same time?

We Answered:

Yes why wouldn't you be able to go to class when you aren't at work? It will take longer but many people do it with full time work. See if your job will pay for it as well.

Brent Said:

What can you do with an electrical engineering degree besides engineering?

We Answered:

I am an electrical engineering student and I graduate this december so I can talk from experience.
I have received many job opportunities as a "Electrician" and they all tell me that I am over qualified for the job and are willing to give it to me. I guess what im saying is that if you have a EE you open more doors then you think. You dont necessarily need to get an into an engineering job you could also go into business, math, physics related careers.

Karen Said:

Electrical Engineering degree - which foreign countries could I most easily find a GOOD job at?

We Answered:

If your in to sunny weather, Portugal and Spain are your best bet.
Spain is one of the richest countries in the European Union.
Portugal is not that bad.

Julio Said:

Can someone provide some guidance for a college student earning an electrical engineering degree?

We Answered:

It doesn't sound silly at all, in fact I admire you for having such commitment. As the parent of a disabled person and an engineer, I believe there are far too few engineers focusing on the needs of the disabled.

I don't know how close you are to finishing your degree, but if you still have some classes to take, I'd suggest an acoustics class (probably offered by the Physics department), and some digital signal processing classes (EE department). Stuff about industrial lighting, sound amplification, etc. may not be offered at your university, but you might find an online course, or a short course offered somewhere.

In terms of finding a job in those areas, I think you'll have to scour a bit harder to find them. However, think about this - even if you don't find that job when you first graduate, keep it in mind as a long-term career goal, and try and gather as much relevant knowledge at whatever job(s) you do take. For example, I worked in military active sonar systems for a few years, and learned a lot of acoustics and DSP.

You might also find blogs and forums for the deaf, and see if they have links or resources pages that would identify companies who work in the areas you describe. Galludet University in Washington DC is a deaf-specific school, so you may find faculty there who share your interests.

Dora Said:

What does someone with an electrical engineering degree do?

We Answered:

The best answer is it depends.

In college, the first two years are general engineering courses such as physics, chemistry, calculus, and basic circuit classes. The following two years you start to pick electives that help you decide what field you would like to get into. From my experience, going to the University at Buffalo, we had 3 major fields:

1) Communications and Signal Processing - Which can involve Cell Phones, satellites, radar systems, wireless systems, digital communications, etc.

2) Power Systems - Delivering and producing power.

3) Microelectronics and Photonics - Computer chip technology, fiber optics, solar cells, etc.


After college, you can choose to stay in the field you concentrated on in school or a combination. Basically anything that involves electricity or signals involves an Electrical Engineer.