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Electrical Engineering

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

EE is built on physics and math applied to electricity, magnetism, and signals. Early courses cover circuits, electromagnetism, signals and systems, and analog and digital electronics; later you'll specialize in areas like power systems, communications, control systems, RF and photonics, or semiconductor and chip design. Labs are central: you'll build and measure real circuits, wire up amplifiers and filters, and probably blow out at least one component.

Expect heavy math and physics, and more direct contact with the physical world than a pure CS major. Senior design projects often involve building something tangible—a wireless transmitter, a motor controller, or a custom analog chip. This category also includes the research and device-oriented Engineering Physics majors.

What you'll do after college

Grads design the hardware that powers modern life—chips at Apple, NVIDIA, or Intel; wireless and networking gear; power grids and renewable-energy systems; and the sensors, motors, and control systems inside cars, aircraft, and medical devices. The day-to-day mixes simulation, lab and bench work, and coordination with manufacturing teams.

Pay is competitive with software engineering, and the work is hard to outsource because so much of it touches physical hardware. Many grads earn graduate degrees, especially for chip design, RF, and research roles.

Famous graduates

  • Lisa Su — CEO of AMD; B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from MIT
  • Jensen Huang — Co-founder and CEO of NVIDIA; B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Oregon State University
  • Henry Samueli — Co-founder of Broadcom; B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from UCLA
  • Eric Schmidt — Former CEO of Google; B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University
  • Robert Metcalfe — Co-inventor of Ethernet; B.S. in Electrical Engineering from MIT
  • George Pake — Physicist who helped found Xerox PARC; B.S./M.S. in Engineering Physics from Carnegie Mellon
  • Paul McEuen — Prominent nanoscale physicist; B.S. in Engineering Physics from University of Oklahoma

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$98,259
1,478
100–86%
$101,071
2,822
86–76%
$103,708
2,946
76–68%
$100,322
2,874
68–42%
$102,669
2,966
42–19%
$119,668
1,377
19–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$99,075
1,195
400–1110
$98,992
2,397
1110–1200
$103,432
2,329
1200–1280
$101,114
2,564
1280–1370
$108,285
2,265
1370–1460
$120,525
1,208
1460–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$89,662p10 $112,911p90 Military STEM Non-Research Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Public University 1–15 Private University 1–30 United States Naval Academy · $97,670 United States Air Force Academy · $100,248 United States Military Academy · $98,234 United States Coast Guard Academy · $99,033 Citadel Military College of South Carolina · $88,400 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach · $95,847 SUNY Maritime College · $92,141 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott · $96,633 Virginia Military Institute · $93,812 Olin College of Engineering · $111,562 Cooper Union · $127,028 Florida Polytechnic University · $87,783 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology · $101,771 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · $96,501 Kettering University · $101,211 Wentworth Institute of Technology · $95,480 Milwaukee School of Engineering · $89,850 Lawrence Technological University · $95,197 Lafayette College · $92,751 Bucknell University · $106,278 Union College · $100,477 Grove City College · $96,596 Dordt University · $99,833 North Central College · $90,969 Lipscomb University · $97,633 York College of Pennsylvania · $102,075 Westminster College · $98,971 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University · $84,734 University of California, Irvine · $91,153 Colorado School of Mines · $99,661 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $105,320 Binghamton University · $88,157 San Diego State University · $89,086 Alabama A&M University · $95,750 Cal State Los Angeles · $85,051 University of California, Santa Barbara · $98,166 University of South Florida · $95,760 CUNY City College · $85,298 Cal Poly - Pomona · $97,232 Clemson University · $98,058 Florida International University · $87,272 Morgan State University · $99,943 North Carolina A&T State University · $91,795 Southern University and A&M College · $84,224 University of Central Florida · $96,871 University of Maryland, College Park · $101,518 Cal State Long Beach · $89,693 University of California, Davis · $103,779 State University of New York at New Paltz · $92,540 Auburn University · $101,573 University of Tennessee, Knoxville · $107,215 Stony Brook University · $88,676 Ohio State University · $103,893 Texas A&M University - College Station · $112,472 Cal State Fullerton · $83,870 Florida Atlantic University · $84,812 Norfolk State University · $89,682 Northern Illinois University · $89,623 University of West Florida · $92,124 University of Connecticut · $96,212 Virginia Tech · $103,948 University of South Carolina · $102,765 Pennsylvania State University · $96,752 New Mexico State University · $108,065 Tarleton State University · $93,307 University of Pittsburgh · $97,703 University of Massachusetts - Amherst · $95,621 University of New Mexico · $121,382 College of New Jersey · $91,643 Jackson State University · $89,684 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $87,443 Arkansas State University · $111,892 Texas Southern University · $88,963 Fresno State · $98,883 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities · $95,925 University of Texas Permian Basin · $101,538 University of Alaska - Fairbanks · $90,684 West Virginia University Institute of Technology · $105,004 Central Michigan University · $99,524 Eastern Michigan University · $91,474 Oklahoma State University · $102,014 Rutgers University - New Brunswick · $124,837 New Jersey Institute of Technology · $91,977 Texas Tech University · $103,227 University of Alaska - Anchorage · $91,058 University of Michigan - Dearborn · $106,463 Tennessee State University · $85,957 Texas State University · $106,840 University at Buffalo · $89,662 Eastern Illinois University · $88,470 Louisiana State University · $109,581 University of Colorado Boulder · $105,878 University of Alabama · $115,543 College of Charleston · $97,912 Louisiana Tech University · $105,697 Cal State Sacramento · $97,069 Cleveland State University · $99,565 George Mason University · $99,799 Georgia Southern University · $93,850 Marshall University · $104,392 Oakland University · $102,327 Ohio University · $105,503 Oregon Institute of Technology · $95,865 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $97,392 Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville · $88,212 Temple University · $101,975 Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi · $108,854 Texas A&M University - Kingsville · $111,294 University of Alabama at Birmingham · $105,744 University of Colorado Colorado Springs · $92,576 University of Colorado Denver · $100,677 University of Delaware · $114,593 University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth · $90,565 University of Memphis · $91,616 University of Oklahoma - Norman · $103,172 University of Southern Indiana · $96,171 University of Southern Maine · $102,827 University of Tennessee, Chattanooga · $101,903 University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · $93,783 University of Texas at Arlington · $95,351 University of Texas at Dallas · $102,343 University of Texas at Tyler · $89,318 Virginia Commonwealth University · $99,576 Western Illinois University · $91,290 Wright State University · $94,332 University of Vermont · $94,100 Miami University - Ohio · $99,640 University of Alabama in Huntsville · $101,586 University of Rhode Island · $94,889 Oregon State University · $100,377 University of Arkansas · $104,098 University of Idaho · $98,301 University of Louisville · $106,932 University of Mississippi · $124,885 Washington State University · $100,184 University of Houston · $108,891 University of Illinois Chicago · $99,007 Purdue University Northwest · $92,541 University of Missouri - Kansas City · $100,923 Rowan University · $93,682 Prairie View A&M University · $112,268 SUNY Polytechnic Institute · $91,541 University of Missouri · $101,567 University of North Florida · $90,838 University of North Carolina at Charlotte · $92,691 Chico State · $95,767 University of Louisiana at Lafayette · $107,033 University of New Hampshire · $96,185 Youngstown State University · $94,540 Saginaw Valley State University · $89,646 Missouri University of Science and Technology · $102,241 University of Missouri - Saint Louis · $105,200 Tennessee Technological University · $112,076 University of Massachusetts Boston · $92,280 Western Carolina University · $103,500 Kennesaw State University · $91,012 University of Iowa · $115,770 Cal State Bakersfield · $89,803 Portland State University · $99,480 University of Minnesota - Duluth · $94,809 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $107,820 University of Toledo · $108,803 San Jose State University · $107,052 University of Central Oklahoma · $95,301 University of New Orleans · $94,136 University of North Texas · $96,660 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $106,731 Eastern Washington University · $85,362 Kent State University at Kent · $91,524 Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania · $97,076 Sonoma State University · $99,786 University of Nevada, Las Vegas · $99,893 University of North Dakota · $112,200 University of Utah · $113,847 University of California, Santa Cruz · $111,927 University of Washington - Tacoma · $98,491 Purdue University Fort Wayne · $102,748 Western Michigan University · $98,003 University of Nevada, Reno · $97,767 Michigan State University · $103,231 Mississippi State University · $113,615 Wayne State University · $107,133 Boise State University · $114,420 Arkansas Tech University · $93,860 Iowa State University · $113,424 Lamar University · $103,528 Montana Technological University · $98,814 Saint Cloud State University · $100,955 South Dakota State University · $108,810 University of Akron · $98,647 University of Arizona · $104,513 University of Cincinnati · $98,779 University of Maine · $93,538 University of Massachusetts - Lowell · $89,859 West Virginia University · $103,759 Western Kentucky University · $100,801 Wichita State University · $100,550 Michigan Technological University · $101,125 University of California, Riverside · $93,481 University of Washington - Bothell · $98,491 Arizona State University · $101,253 Cal State Northridge · $92,478 University of Hawaii at Manoa · $92,556 University of Wisconsin - Platteville · $101,501 Christopher Newport University · $100,775 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee · $93,739 Northern Arizona University · $105,853 University of Kentucky · $96,517 University of Texas at San Antonio · $92,262 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay · $90,247 University of Wisconsin - Stout · $95,103 Old Dominion University · $90,370 North Dakota State University · $102,386 Pennsylvania State University - Erie-Behrend College · $96,279 Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg · $93,830 University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown · $99,744 University of Kansas · $109,806 Grand Valley State University · $98,883 San Francisco State University · $87,076 Utah State University · $100,618 Western Washington University · $94,517 University of South Alabama · $114,318 College of Staten Island CUNY · $83,690 Idaho State University · $91,120 Kansas State University · $101,671 University of Texas at El Paso · $104,025 University of Wyoming · $124,608 Cal State San Marcos · $95,524 Texas A&M University - Texarkana · $78,182 New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology · $128,286 West Texas A&M University · $98,845 Montana State University · $92,622 Lake Superior State University · $89,371 Utah Valley University · $101,771 Weber State University · $97,132 University of Notre Dame · $117,938 Fairfield University · $96,047 Villanova University · $108,716 Mississippi Christian University · $90,521 Wilberforce University · $93,107 Union University · $95,762 Santa Clara University · $123,045 Saint Louis University · $95,526 Southern Methodist University · $95,172 Loyola Marymount University · $97,909 Liberty University · $98,824 Baylor University · $102,855 John Brown University · $98,715 University of San Diego · $105,294 LeTourneau University · $102,501 Milligan University · $96,106 Spring Arbor University · $86,691 University of Dayton · $105,980 Cedarville University · $107,842 Harding University · $99,931 Manhattan College · $94,096 Messiah University · $92,749 Merrimack College · $108,740 Sacred Heart University · $93,081 Rockhurst University · $95,083 The Master's University and Seminary · $91,691 California Baptist University · $87,837 Brigham Young University · $123,125 Ohio Northern University · $100,431 Lewis University · $91,996 University of Detroit Mercy · $97,847 Chapman University · $96,616 University of Tulsa · $101,869 Marquette University · $100,351 Trevecca Nazarene University · $90,840 University of Indianapolis · $89,100 University of Mary · $98,866 Gonzaga University · $97,405 University of Mount Union · $99,020 University of Scranton · $93,863 University of Portland · $92,240 Seattle University · $92,863 George Fox University · $97,178 Gannon University · $88,884 Houston Christian University · $94,602 Catholic University of America · $98,335 Mount Vernon Nazarene University · $89,506 DePaul University · $93,175 St. Mary's University · $87,634 Valparaiso University · $90,677 Seattle Pacific University · $106,971 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $96,968 Christian Brothers University · $95,808 Oklahoma Christian University · $96,375 University of Saint Thomas (TX) · $92,473 University of Miami · $78,411 Tuskegee University · $100,086 Syracuse University · $120,201 University of Rochester · $106,230 Jacksonville University · $91,126 Howard University · $96,318 George Washington University · $106,324 Stevens Institute of Technology · $117,618 Hofstra University · $93,765 Worcester Polytechnic Institute · $101,537 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · $112,539 Hawaii Pacific University · $93,427 Indiana Institute of Technology · $90,041 Florida Institute of Technology · $97,978 Illinois Institute of Technology · $100,975 Bradley University · $102,719 Rochester Institute of Technology · $105,777 University of New Haven · $97,003 Wilkes University · $99,417 University of Bridgeport · $90,905 Clarkson University · $93,365 Trine University · $95,436 University of Hartford · $92,337 University of the Pacific · $105,871 New York Institute of Technology · $74,450 Point Park University · $90,730 Drexel University · $106,003 Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus · $74,130 Widener University · $89,489 University of Denver · $98,793 Western New England University · $92,821 Georgia Tech · $109,346 University of California, Berkeley · $109,039 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor · $109,256 University of Virginia · $112,911 UCLA · $112,575 University of Florida · $103,763 University of Georgia · $99,602 Purdue University · $97,496 North Carolina State University · $100,146 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $103,909 University of Texas at Austin · $124,063 University of Wisconsin - Madison · $95,604 Florida State University · $97,500 University of California, San Diego · $107,097 MIT · $179,558 Caltech · $148,501 Stanford University · $165,152 Yale University · $145,624 Harvard University · $143,934 Princeton University · $141,806 Dartmouth · $142,573 University of Pennsylvania · $150,663 Columbia University · $113,342 Johns Hopkins University · $120,077 Rice University · $141,021 Northwestern University · $133,997 Cornell University · $126,251 Washington University in St Louis · $124,001 Tufts University · $109,999 New York University · $95,365 Boston University · $106,213 Case Western Reserve University · $117,623 Northeastern University · $97,252 Lehigh University · $98,895 Military: mean $95,780 STEM Non-Research: mean $100,709 Liberal Arts: mean $98,398 Public University: mean $98,953 Religious University: mean $97,760 Private University: mean $97,285 Public University 1–15: mean $105,879 Private University 1–30: mean $130,092 All colleges: p10 $89,662 All colleges: p90 $112,911
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Electrical Engineering 371 14,553 85% / 16% 8% $100,991 96%
Electrical Engineering 346 12,949 85% / 15% 8% $99,894 96%
Electrical & Computer Engineering 17 1,225 81% / 19% 8% $107,590 97%
Engineering Physics 32 225 79% / 21% 8% $105,947 95%
Electrical Engineering with Computing (Course 6-5) 1 59 68% / 32% 10% $179,558 96%
Photonic Science and Engineering 1 32 62% / 38% 6% $96,871 97%
Optical Engineering 2 27 74% / 26% 44% $106,230 94%
Applied Physics 3 16 81% / 19% 19% $126,071 94%
Laser and Optical Engineering 1 12 75% / 25% 8% $101,742 91%
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 5 6 83% / 17% 17% $93,123
Systems Engineering (EE) 2 2 100% / 0% 0% $103,346