STEM Specialization

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduates earn $84,599 four years out. Related careers are growing at up to 11.9%, one of the stronger demand signals across all fields. Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians is among the highest-growth roles in the field.

About Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians

This page covers Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Engineering Tech and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians is a focused area of study within Engineering Tech. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $84,599 four years out, a strong return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 572 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 8,331 students complete it each year, most walking away with a associate's. Coursework leans technical and quantitative, with lab or project work common.


Median Earnings · 1yr
$67,864
Median Earnings · 4yr
$84,599
Colleges Offering
572
Graduates / Year
8,331
Avg Net Price / yr
$14,065

How Much Do Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians Graduates Earn?

Four years after finishing Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians, a typical graduate earns $84,599, well above average for college graduates. Half of earners land somewhere between $63,578 and $107,415, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Source: College Scorecard.

What that figure means in practice depends on what the degree cost to get, which is a matter of lifetime earnings against total outlay.

$67,864
1 Year After Graduation

Earnings grow steadily as you advance past entry-level roles. The four-year figure is a better long-term target.

$84,599
4-Year National Median

Well above average for college graduates.

$83,322
4-Year Institutional Median

Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.


Earnings Range

Not every Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out widely, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Sector is the biggest factor. Tech companies and finance firms tend to pay significantly more than government, education, or nonprofit employers in this field.


Why This Program Pays Off Fast

Strong ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $84,599 against an estimated $56,260 four-year net cost, most graduates break even against baseline wages in under two years.

Based on outcomes from 139 schools. Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.

Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown

Of the 8,331 students who complete Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians programs each year, the majority (55%) earn a associate's degree. The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.

Associate's 55%
Bachelor's 26%
Certificate 18%

What Can You Do With an Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians Degree?

This degree does not lock you into one job. Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduates show up in 7 different occupations, and Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay pays the most at $103,020/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.

The best-paid of these is what an Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay earns and how fast the role is growing, though entry requirements vary across the list.

↗ +9.7% Zone 3: Medium preparation
$103,020
$82K $119K 25th–75th pct.
Postsecondary nondegree award 1,800 openings/yr 21K employed nationally
Critical Thinking Repairing Equipment Maintenance Troubleshooting Reading Comprehension
Day-to-day responsibilities

Inspect, test, repair, or maintain electrical equipment in generating stations, substations, and in-service relays.

  • Inspect and test equipment and circuits to identify malfunctions or defects, using wiring diagrams and testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or ammeters.
  • Prepare and maintain records detailing tests, repairs, and maintenance.
  • Consult manuals, schematics, wiring diagrams, and engineering personnel to troubleshoot and solve equipment problems and to determine optimum equipment functioning.
↗ +11.9% Zone 3: Medium preparation
$82,890
$68K $111K 25th–75th pct.
Associate's degree 1,100 openings/yr 11K employed nationally
Critical Thinking Quality Control Analysis Operations Monitoring Reading Comprehension Active Listening
Day-to-day responsibilities

Operate, install, adjust, and maintain integrated computer/communications systems, consoles, simulators, and other data acquisition, test, and measurement instruments and equipment, which are used to launch, track, position, and evaluate air and space vehicles. May record and interpret test data.

  • Test aircraft systems under simulated operational conditions, performing systems readiness tests and pre- and post-operational checkouts, to establish design or fabrication parameters.
  • Identify required data, data acquisition plans, and test parameters, setting up equipment to conform to these specifications.
  • Inspect, diagnose, maintain, and operate test setups and equipment to detect malfunctions.
↗ +2.4% Zone 3: Medium preparation
$78,190
$62K $98K 25th–75th pct.
Associate's degree 8,100 openings/yr 95K employed nationally
Reading Comprehension Critical Thinking Active Listening Repairing Troubleshooting
Day-to-day responsibilities

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.

  • 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.
↘ -3.4% Zone 3: Medium preparation
$76,870
$61K $97K 25th–75th pct.
Associate's degree 1,400 openings/yr 18K employed nationally
Active Listening Judgment and Decision Making Critical Thinking Writing Reading Comprehension
Day-to-day responsibilities

Prepare wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, and layout drawings used for the manufacture, installation, or repair of electrical equipment.

  • Draft detail and assembly drawings of design components, circuitry or printed circuit boards, using computer-assisted equipment or standard drafting techniques and devices.
  • Draft working drawings, wiring diagrams, wiring connection specifications, or cross-sections of underground cables, as required for instructions to installation crew.
  • Assemble documentation packages and produce drawing sets to be checked by an engineer or an architect.
↗ +2.6% Zone 3: Medium preparation
$73,900
$60K $89K 25th–75th pct.
Associate's degree 1,400 openings/yr 16K employed nationally
Operations Monitoring Troubleshooting Repairing Equipment Maintenance Critical Thinking
Day-to-day responsibilities

Operate, test, maintain, or adjust unmanned, automated, servomechanical, or electromechanical equipment. May operate unmanned submarines, aircraft, or other equipment to observe or record visual information at sites such as oil rigs, crop fields, buildings, or for similar infrastructure, deep ocean exploration, or hazardous waste removal. May assist engineers in testing and designing robotics equipment.

  • Test performance of electromechanical assemblies, using test instruments such as oscilloscopes, electronic voltmeters, or bridges.
  • Install or program computer hardware or machine or instrumentation software in microprocessor-based systems.
  • Read blueprints, schematics, diagrams, or technical orders to determine methods and sequences of assembly.
↘ -3.1% Zone 3: Medium preparation
$73,130
$50K $100K 25th–75th pct.
Postsecondary nondegree award 1,000 openings/yr 13K employed nationally
Active Listening Speaking Critical Thinking Complex Problem Solving Operation and Control
Day-to-day responsibilities

Assemble and operate equipment to record, synchronize, mix, edit, or reproduce sound, including music, voices, or sound effects, for theater, video, film, television, podcasts, sporting events, and other productions.

  • Confer with producers, performers, and others to determine and achieve the desired sound for a production, such as a musical recording or a film.
  • Regulate volume level and sound quality during recording sessions, using control consoles.
  • Record speech, music, and other sounds on recording media, using recording equipment.
↗ +4.8% Zone 3: Medium preparation
$67,820
$56K $92K 25th–75th pct.
Associate's degree 1,500 openings/yr 17K employed nationally
Day-to-day responsibilities

Execute or adapt procedures and techniques for calibrating measurement devices, by applying knowledge of measurement science, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and electronics, sometimes under the direction of engineering staff. Determine measurement standard suitability for calibrating measurement devices. May perform preventive maintenance on equipment. May perform corrective actions to address identified calibration problems.

Top Colleges for Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians

Not sure where to study Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.

Ranked by score, that list starts with the cost and outcomes at DeVry University-Illinois, and the rest follow the same measures.

# College Graduates Acceptance Net Price/yr Earnings 10yr
1 DeVry University-Illinois Lisle, IL · For-Profit 358 98.4% $30,770 $45,987
2 Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX · Public 132 57.4% $21,315 $72,097
3 Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN · Public 109 Open $7,258 $37,186
4 CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY · Public 92 80.3% $5,127 $49,365
5 Pinnacle Career Institute Kansas City, MO · For-Profit 91 Open $28,732 $34,213
6 Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN · Public 59 49.9% $14,600 $72,424
7 Monroe Community College Rochester, NY · Public 54 Open $6,353 $40,174
8 Northeast State Community College Blountville, TN · Public 45 Open $6,864 $34,553
9 State Technical College of Missouri Linn, MO · Public 38 Open $15,190 $55,901
10 California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA · Public 37 75.2% $11,531 $71,902
11 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC · Public 35 79.6% $15,435 $57,289
12 Anoka Technical College Anoka, MN · Public 35 Open $16,953 $47,746
13 Universal Technical Institute-Canton Canton, MI · For-Profit 35 Open $22,985 $62,575
14 Erie Institute of Technology Inc Erie, PA · For-Profit 35 Open $30,164 $41,951
15 Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Elizabethtown, KY · Public 34 Open $5,143 $36,143
16 Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY · Public 28 63.3% $10,867 $69,781
17 Victoria College Victoria, TX · Public 28 Open $3,043 $42,382
18 Coastal Carolina Community College Jacksonville, NC · Public 26 Open $9,461 $36,444
19 Southeastern Community College Whiteville, NC · Public 26 Open $9,148 $30,284
20 Owens Community College Perrysburg, OH · Public 24 Open $10,369 $37,275

Ranked by Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →

Plan Your Path

Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of an Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find schools that match your profile.

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians Degree: Pros & Cons

Strong earnings and positive career growth make Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians a solid option. The 4 strengths and 1 trade-offs below are data-sourced from College Scorecard, BLS, and IPEDS.

PROS
  • Strong median salary Graduates earn $84,599 nationally four years out, placing this field above most degree programs in the country.
  • Fast-growing field Related careers are projected to grow up to +11.9% over the next decade, with Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians among the fastest-growing roles.
  • Strong hiring volume Related occupations generate more than 16,300 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
  • Wide availability Offered at 572 colleges nationwide, with options at every price point and institution type.
CONS
  • Declining roles in some areas 2 related careers show negative 10-year employment projections. Research specific roles before committing.

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians Degree: Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduates earn?
$84,599 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $63,578 and $107,415, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the starting salary for an Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians degree?
$67,864 in the first year out. That grows to $84,599 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.
What jobs can you get with an Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians degree?
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay is one path, and it pays a median of $103,020 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does an Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians program take?
Two years full-time at a community college for an Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians associate degree. Many students use it as a stepping stone, transferring to a four-year school afterward to finish a bachelor's.
How many colleges offer Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians?
572 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
Is an Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians degree worth it?
$84,599 median earnings four years out against $14,065 a year in average net price. That is a fast payback, and it holds up especially well at lower-cost schools. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the difference between Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians and Engineering Tech?
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians is the narrower of the two: Engineering Tech covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduates consistently look for analytical thinking, technical proficiency, and data interpretation. Employers typically prioritize candidates who can demonstrate hands-on project or internship experience alongside their coursework. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
Is graduate school worth it for Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduates?
Usually worth considering. A master's in a STEM field can accelerate advancement into research, leadership, or senior engineering roles, and often adds $15,000 to $40,000 in long-term earning potential depending on specialization. Weigh that against your own career goals, the program's cost, and whether your target role actually rewards the advanced credential.
What is the job outlook for Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduates?
Outlook is moderate overall: related occupations average +3.6% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians are among the strongest-growth roles at +11.9%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.

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