Top 3 Industries for Highest Electrical Engineer Salary

The Highest Engineering Salary in the world is in Electrical Engineering Jobs. An Electrical Engineer Salary can exceed $254k per year.

Some of the highest paying careers in the world are in the field of electrical engineering. Electrical engineering jobs are among the most profitable jobs out there, an electrical engineer salary can exceed $254,000 per year.

RELATED: TOP 3 JOBS FOR HIGHEST MECHANICAL ENGINEER SALARY

An Electrical Engineer tends to earn more than the national average salary, and this is expected to continue. Electrical Engineering jobs have some of the highest career potentials, and We would like to share with you the Top 3 Industries where you can achieve the Highest Electrical Engineer Salary.

On average, an Electrical Engineer earns a salary of $71,000 per year. Most engineers move on to management jobs, if they have more than two decades of experience hands-on experience in their field, get paid sizable amounts.

Electrical engineering jobs are for implementing systems and designing components and devices that use electricity to operate. They have to be adept at handling electricity in their devices, designing protocols, researching alternative sources, creating solutions, and improving product and system safety.

Due to the nature of electrical engineering jobs, electrical engineers work in teams, they solve complex problems regarding electrical systems. Often, these teams consist of electrical engineers with proficiency in different areas, so the group is better-equipped to find a solution to an electrical problem. As a team, electrical engineers inspect completed projects to ensure compliance with design standards, while applying electrical engineering principles, such as design implementation and improving electrical instruments.

Therefore, if you want to earn the highest electrical engineer salary, you must be a great team player. The secret to success in electrical engineering jobs is to be able to communicate ideas and ask the right questions to evoke curiosity and challenge the status quo. That's how you make the big bucks!

Electrical Engineers must be skilled in math and be excellent problem solvers. Successful Electrical Engineers must think creatively and feel comfortable with public speaking and group presentation settings.

Before we dive into the top industries where you find the highest salary for Electrical Engineers, let’s understand the possible career paths for electrical engineers:

Career Paths for Electrical Engineers are :

1. Electrical Engineer

- Senior Electrical Engineer

- Design Engineering Manager

2. Systems Engineer

- Senior Electronics Design Engineer

- Principal Systems Engineer

- Product Manager

3. Test Engineer

- Senior Test Engineer

- Quality Control Manager

4. Electrical Application Engineer

- Client or Supplier Engineer

- Applications Engineering Manager

5. Network Design Engineer

- Senior Network Engineer

- Telecom Network Manager

- Information Technology Manager

Choosing the Right Industry for Your Next Electrical Engineering Job

Well, not every industry employs electrical engineers for the same job functions, so it is important that you understand the difference between the market sectors to ensure your best interests in the long run while maximizing your earning potential. The Computer Hardware Designer position currently pays the highest salary for electrical engineers, primarily due to the shortage of professionals in this marketplace. Regardless of whether or not you have your electrical engineering degree on hand, or you are going to graduate soon, evaluating possible careers can feel mind-boggling. Therefore to ensure that you do not leave anything on the table regarding earning potential and personal interest, here’s a breakdown of the top 3 industries for the highest electrical engineer salary.

1. Computer Hardware & Signal Processing

The average starting salary for an electrical hardware engineer is $86,300. Hardware Engineering is a relatively new field of engineering, and there are not enough electrical hardware engineers to keep up with the demand, although, the job growth rate could potentially slow over time. An Electrical Hardware Engineer can anticipate earning a salary of $111,730 per year with five to eight years of experience and $167,100 per year or more with 15+ years of experience.

Signal processing is a technology that incorporates the fundamental theory, applications, algorithms, and implementations of information processing of physical and symbolic formats designated as signals. It uses mathematical, statistical, computational and linguistic representations, formalisms, and techniques for representation, modeling, and analysis. Moreover, electrical hardware engineers are often responsible for performing all signal processing tasks while they are designing computer parts and components.

Computer Hardware Engineer salary ranges from $79,160 - $254,546

Artificial Intelligence Engineer salary ranges from $88,200 - $235,593

Electrical Circuit Engineer salary ranges from $85,000 - $230,000

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is among the largest brands within the computational hardware engineering community. Electrical engineers will find that working for this firm is rewarding not only salary-wise but also from a career growth and skill development perspective.

Advanced Automation & Robotic Systems

Control engineering used to be an integral part of mechanical engineering and has turned into a relatively new industry that combines software engineering and mathematics concepts. Control engineers focus on designing and developing automated machines that have multiple functions. The instruments that an automation engineer may control could be part of an automated system, manufacturing process, or robotic device. This type of electrical engineering can earn a starting salary of $64,600 and a mid-career salary of $105,570. The salary for an electrical engineer in this field can be as high as $159,850 per year or more with 15 or more years of experience.

As part of today’s automated work environments, Automation and Robotic Engineers develop and design computer control systems that not only power automated systems, but also help unify and consolidate manufacturing functions while gathering data to be analyzed and used to improve the entire automated infrastructure. These automated robotic technologies also help replace human laborers in unsafe conditions, for example.

Control Systems Engineer salary ranges from $72,000 - $197,026

Robotics and Automation Engineer salary ranges from $67,842 - $171,000

Industrial Applications Engineer salary ranges from $76,679 - $186,550

The practice of building robots to perform tasks autonomously goes back a long way, but research in the operation and possible uses of robots did not mature considerably prior to the 20th century.

Now, we dream of the day when robots will be able to mirror human behavior and handle duties in a human-like manner. These days, robotics is a rapidly expanding industry, as advancements in engineering keep happening; exploring, developing, and building new robots provide many functional purposes, whether it be in domestic, commercial, or military settings.

For instance, Rockwell Automation is a supplier of industrial & commercial automation products and information systems, with brand names such as Allen-Bradley and Rockwell. They manage their organization via two sectors - Infrastructure Software and Control System Solutions. The Rockwell Automation portfolio includes Control Systems, Integrated Architecture, Industrial Controls, Safety Technology, Information Software, Manufacturing System Management, Intelligent Sensing Devices, Network Sensors & Industrial Switches as well as Security Systems.

Aerospace & Space Defense Systems

An electrical engineer builds the backbone of aerospace and defense systems and those entering this sector can expect a starting salary of $59,240 and a mid-career salary of $113,970. This job provides electrical engineering graduates the chance to design and develop components that handle flight control systems, they can also test the functionality of defense systems. In return for this hard work, the salary for an electrical engineer in this field can be as high as $146,820 per year or more with 15 or more years of experience.

I want to take this opportunity and mention the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). SDI is a secret government program that was a proposed missile defense system intended to protect us from attacks with strategic ballistic weapons. This system is aimed at combining ground defense units, orbital communication, and deployment platforms and is focused on strategic defense.

Working for the SDI as close as you can get to STAR WARS, and as you can imagine, every electrical engineer with aerospace engineering experience wishes to get recruited for a position in the SDI and make some of the highest salaries in this field. This program requires the highest levels of security clearance, hence only a few, secretly selected, lucky electrical engineers, get these high paying jobs.

Communication and Remote-Sensing Engineer salary ranges from $92,332 - $221,500

Aerospace and Electrical Systems Engineer salary ranges from $76,219 - $219,150

Signal Processing Engineer salary ranges from $80,250 - $214,000

Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) is a unit of The Boeing Company responsible for defense and aerospace products and services. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems was found in 2002 by combining the former "Military Aircraft and Missile Systems" and "Space and Communications" divisions. BDS made Boeing the world’s 2nd-largest defense firm, responsible for 45% of the company's income in 2011.

Honorable Mention: Automotive Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems support vehicle operators in the driving process. When built with a secure Human-Machine Interface, they will improve vehicle and road safety. Advanced driver assistance systems are designed for automating and enhancing vehicle systems for safety and improving the driving experience. Safety measures are created to prevent accidents by notifying the driver with against potential hazards or by preventing crashes via safety precautions and overtaking control over the automobile. Other functions include automated lights, adaptive cruise control, automated braking, GPS navigation, traffic alerts, and mobile phone linking.

There are numerous types of ADAS available; some functions are built-in and some are add-ons. ADAS depend on data from multiple data sources, such as vehicle imaging and computer vision systems. More data points are possible to be discovered from the primary instrument systems known as Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure systems.

Instrumentation and Measurement Engineer salary ranges from $77,000 - $211,650

Automotive Systems Engineer salary ranges from $58,400 - $188,800

Advanced Electronics Engineer salary ranges from $88,620 - $266,850

However, now that the world’s leading automotive manufacturers are focusing on developing fully electric and autonomous vehicles, they have become desperate to find electrical engineers who are adept at designing and developing such systems; that is why it provides a high salary and a great career in Algorithm Engineering (Object Detection, Recognition, and Tracking), Application Engineering (Analog & Digital Signal Processing), System Verification Engineering, System Security and System Architecture.

In a world riddled by COVID-19, to pursue a successful career as an electrical or electronics engineer got even tougher, primarily due to the competitive nature of the job market in this field as well as the fast rate of growth of the technology, and also, there are more talented engineers who are available for new jobs than ever. As you build your career this year, make sure to model your career on success stories by electrical and electronics engineers.

What does an electrical engineer do?

 What is an Electrical Engineer?

Electrical engineering dates back to the late 19th century, and is one of the newer branches of engineering. The field of electronics was born with the invention of the thermionic valve diode vacuum tube in 1904 by John Ambrose Fleming, and was the foundation of all electronics, including radios, television and radar, until the mid-20th century.

Electrical engineering is concerned with the technology of electricity and specifically deals with electricity, electro-magnetism and electronics. It also covers power, control systems, telecommunications and signal processing.

An electrical engineer is someone who applies the physics and mathematics of electricity, electromagnetism and electronics to design and develop new electrical equipment and systems, to solve problems and to test equipment. The emergence of the modern age is noted by the introduction of electricity to homes, businesses and industry, all of which were made possible by electrical engineers.

Some of the most important pioneers in electrical engineering include Thomas Edison (electric light bulb), George Westinghouse (alternating current), Nikola Tesla (induction motor), Guglielmo Marconi (radio) and Philo T. Farnsworth (television). Innovative ideas and concepts were turned into practical devices and systems that paved the way to what we have and use today.

Present-day electrical engineers work on various projects, from designing household appliances to designing large-scale electrical telecommunication systems, electrical power stations and satellite communications systems.

What does an Electrical Engineer do?

Electrical engineers work on a variety of projects, such as computers, robots, cell phones, cards, radars, navigation systems, wiring and lighting in buildings and other kinds of electrical systems. More and more, electrical engineers are relying on computer-aided design (CAD) systems for the creation of schematics and to lay out circuits, and they use computers to simulate how electrical devices and systems will function.

Electrical engineers work in various industries and the skills required also vary. These skills can range from basic circuit theory to those required to be a project manager. The tools and equipment that an electrical engineer may need are also variable, and can range from a straightforward voltmeter to a top end analyzer to advanced design and manufacturing software.

An electrical engineer's job duties may require:

• Evaluating electrical systems, products, components, and applications
• Designing and conducting research programs
• Applying knowledge of electricity and materials
• Confirming system's and components' capabilities by designing testing methods and properties
• Developing electrical products by studying customer requirements
• Researching and testing manufacturing and assembly methods and materials
• Developing manufacturing processes by designing and modifying equipment
• Assuring product quality by designing electrical testing methods
• Testing finished products and system capabilities
• Preparing product reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends
• Providing engineering information by answering questions and requests
• Maintaining product and company reputation by complying with federal and state regulations
• Maintaining product data base by writing computer programs and entering data

There are many sub-disciplines of electrical engineering. Some electrical engineers specialize exclusively in one sub-discipline, while others specialize in a combination of sub-disciplines. The most popular sub-disciplines are:

Electronic Engineer

Electronic engineers research, design, create, and test electronic systems and components to be used in areas such as telecommunications, acoustics, aerospace guidance, and propulsion control, or instruments and controls. This career is very similar to that of an electrical engineer - both careers are used interchangeably in the United States. The main difference is specialization. While electrical engineers take care of entire electrical systems, electronics engineers hone in on the smaller parts, such as individual computers, electronic circuits, resistors, capacitors, inductors, transistors and diodes and use their knowledge of electronic theory and materials properties.

Microelectronics Engineer

Microelectronics is a subfield of electronics and relates to the study and microfabrication of very small electronic designs and circuit components typically made from semiconductor materials. Many components of normal electronic design are also available in a microelectronic equivalent which can include transistors, capacitors, inductors, resistors, diodes, insulators and conductors. Microelectronics engineers use specialized equipment and unique wiring techniques such as wire bonding because of the unusually small size of the components, leads and pads. As techniques have improved, the scale of microelectronic components has continued to decrease, therefore, the impact of circuit properties such as interconnections may become of more interest. The goal of the microelectronics engineer is to find ways to minimize these 'parasitic' effects, while delivering smaller, faster, and cheaper devices.

Signal Processing Engineer

A signal processing engineer analyzes and alters digital signals to make them more accurate and reliable. Responsibilities include developing, managing and updating digital signals, and creating algorithms to process them more efficiently. A signal processing engineer can work in areas such as image processing, speech processing, pattern recognition, chip designing, radio frequency designs, biomedical signal processing, and space and military applications including satellite and mobile communications. Efficient use of signals arises from implementing precise algorithms coded in software packages with concise steps and real-time outputs. Engineers need to develop the steps needed, provide the specifications, design the processor which acts like the machine, and simulate the system pre-hand before the fabrication.

Power Engineer

A power engineer, also called a power systems engineer, deals with a subfield of electrical engineering that involves the generation, transmission, distribution and utilization of electric power, along with the electrical equipment associated with these systems (such as transformers, generators, motors and power electronics). Although much of a power engineer's focus is concerned with the issues faced with three-phase AC power, another area of focus is concerned with the conversion between AC and DC power and the evolution of specific power systems like those used in aircraft or for electric railway networks. Power engineers draw the majority of their theoretical base from electrical engineering.

Control Engineer

Control engineering, or control systems engineering, is typically taught along with electrical engineering at many universities, and specifically focuses on implementation of control systems obtained by mathematical modeling of a wide range of systems. This type of engineering discipline uses the automatic control theory to design controllers that cause systems to behave in a certain way, using micro-controllers, programmable logic controllers, digital signal processors and electrical circuits. By using detectors and sensors to measure the output performance of the controlled process and provide corrective feedback, desired performance can be achieved.

Telecommunications Engineer

Telecommunications engineering is a discipline centred on electrical and computer engineering which attempts to assist and improve telecommunication systems. A telecommunications engineer's work will range from doing basic circuit design, providing high-speed data transmission services, and overseeing the installation of telecommunications equipment (such as electronic switching systems, optical fibre cabling, IP networks, and microwave transmission systems). They use an assortment of equipment and transport media in order to design the network infrastructure (such as twisted pair, coaxial cables, and optical fibres) and provide solutions for wireless modes of communication and information transfer, such as wireless telephone services, radio and satellite communications, and internet and broadband technologies.

Instrumentation Engineer

Instrumentation engineering finds its origin in both electrical and electronics engineering and deals with the design of measuring devices for pressure, flow and temperature. In short, this field deals with measurement, automation and control processes which involves a deep understanding of physics. Instrumentation engineers develop new and intelligent sensors, smart transducers, MEMS Technology, and Blue tooth Technology. One can find instrumentation engineers working at almost all process and manufacturing industries involved with steel, oil, petrochemical, power and defense production.

Computer Engineer

Most universities offer computer engineering as either a degree, sub-discipline of electrical engineering, or offer a dual degree in both electrical and computer engineering. Computer engineers research, design, develop, and test computer systems and components such as processors, computer circuit boards, memory devices, networks, and routers, microchips, and other electronic components. They specialize in areas like digital systems, operating systems, computer networks, etc. Computer engineering attempts to match digital devices with software to meet the scientific, technological, and administrative needs of business and industry.

What is the workplace of an Electrical Engineer like?

Electrical engineers usually work in a lab, an office, a mine or in industrial plants. An electrical engineer usually can pursue a technical career in any industry. They usually supervise computer programmers, electricians, scientists and other engineers. A typical work week is composed of 40 hours although there might be some overtime to meet deadlines.

An electrical engineer also spends a lot of time doing project management, such as meeting with clients, determining budgets and preparing project schedules. Engineering projects usually require written documentation, so strong writing and communication skills are important.

10 Good Reasons to Study Electrical Engineering Abroad

 1. It's easy to get your first Electrical Engineering job

Graduates of engineering schools start Electrical Engineering careers fairly easily because most employers search for fresh minds with good training. They are glad to get young people they can mould to their own specific needs and turn them into experts. This is also the reason why electrical engineers are the most valued on the job market.

2. You can work in another country after graduation

Being an electrical engineer means having a lot of job opportunities in countries all around the world. The laws of math and physics are universal, and your gained knowledge doesn't limit you to only the country you studied in. 

There are a lot of international technical companies that need electrical engineers, and they are willing to employ people from other countries if they are good enough. Also, most of them operate at an international level, that offers you additional options for travelling while working. Besides, you are usually getting paid well for it!

Here are some top countries offering Electrical Engineering degrees:

The United States 

The United Kingdom 

Germany 

France 

Australia 

3. Electric power won’t be your only focus

Being an electrical and electronics engineer doesn’t mean you will work your whole life plugging and unplugging electronics, or just designing electronic circuits.

Electrical Engineering degrees have the immense advantage of covering tens of specialisations, making the field very flexible and offering you a great chance of simply throwing a dart at a list and trying on areas like a nervous person tries clothes before a date: many, in a short period of time.

Some Electrical Engineering degree specialisations you could find interesting are:

Radio-Frequency Engineering

Signal Processing

Microelectronics

Control Systems

Power Engineering

Telecommunications

4. Study at top Engineering schools

The best schools in the world provide top-quality Electrical Engineering degrees. You'll learn the secrets of the trade from the best international professors, in classes equipped with top-notch technology. This top-level education will help you develop your engineering skills to the next level.

These are a few Electrical Engineering Master's programmes provided by universities ranked in top 500 Times Higher Education Rankings:

University of Portsmouth, in U.K. 

Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden 

University of Birmingham, U.K. 

University of Leeds, in the U.K. 

University of Colorado Denver, in the U.S. 

University of Twente (UT), in the Netherlands 

5. The adrenaline rush of being an Electrical Engineering graduate

Maybe adrenaline isn't the first thing that pops into your mind when you think about Electrical Engineering, but trust me: there will be a lot of adrenaline rush moments if you start working with electrical systems.

Occasional jolts of electrical charge that hit you when you aren't paying attention and accidentally touch the leads of charged capacitors, or when you connect 2 wires that you shouldn't, or an electrical component more or less explodes in front of your eyes, because you connected it to the testing board in the wrong way...

Those events make you jump out of your chair and definitely raise your adrenaline level! And, on the plus side, you’ll most likely never do the same mistake again.

6. Plenty of affordable Electrical Engineering degrees to choose from

Electrical Engineering Master's degrees are some of the most popular in the world, after MBAs, and many can have steep tuition fees.

However, not all Electrical Engineering courses are expensive!

You just have to know where to look and find the perfect location in terms of price and quality. More affordable doesn't mean you'll get an inferior learning experience, but you can find low-tuition Electrical Engineering Master's degrees in countries like:

Electrical Engineering in Finland 

Electrical Engineering in Austria 

Electrical Engineering in Denmark 

Electrical Engineering in Belgium 

Electrical Engineering in Sweden 

You can also stop worrying about learning a foreign language. There are hundreds of Electrical Engineering courses taught in English all over the world. 

7. You will develop great DIY techniques

DIY or "Do It Yourself" is one of the more exciting reasons to get into Electrical Engineering. When you know how power generation, control panels and electrical systems work, how to transmit energy, what usually malfunctions and what are the basic rules of Electrical and Computer Engineering, you can make your own systems and devices, instead of searching and buying them.

And it’s not just everyday fixes, like changing a light bulb or a faulty fuse: you will also be able to cope with more complex problems within your household and those of your friends and family. And that doesn't only save you money, but also works great as a pick-up line...

8. You will join an awesome elite

Maybe you heard of some random folks named Alexander Graham Bell, Michael Faraday, Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, Nikola Tesla, Alessandro Volta, and Robert Watson-Watt. All of them were Electrical Engineering majors and all of them left a huge legacy behind in their field.

There are also famous people who changed careers mid-life, but the influence of Electrical Engineering remained and kept them at a steady, upward climb. Personalities like Steve Wozniak, long-time business partner of a fellow named Steve Jobs, Mike Bloomberg, former Mayor of New York City, and, last, but not least, Rowan Atkinson, aka the amazing Mr. Bean; all of them were helped by the intuition and problem-solving skills they developed as electrical engineers and managed to occupy a high position in the field they transitioned into.

9. It will never be boring, as new gadgets come out all the time

Electrical and electronic components are modified, invented and reinvented every day, so you will never be bored! You won’t be using the same processor component for more than 10 years.

10. Only a few essential rules to keep in mind

Things work better when plugged in.

If smoke comes out, you did something wrong.

If things don't work, read the manual.

Scope of Electrical and Electronics Engineering

 Electrical & Electronics Engineering 

Imagine your life without electricity and consumer durable like television, refrigerator, microwave, etc. - seems mundane and hard to survive. Isn’t it?  Electricity and electronic appliances have become one of our basic needs in day-to-day life. With our increasing dependency on electrical and electronic products, the scope of electrical and electronics engineering has also grown in giant strides as compared to previous decades. If we talk about job quotient in the different sectors of electrical and electronics engineering, it is ever-increasing to meet the variegated needs of the consumers in India as well as abroad. Be it transport, banking, other private and public sectors and even educational premises, electrical and electronics engineering has a vital role to play in any environment.  

Let’s read further what electrical and electronics engineering (EEE) is all about.

An Introduction to Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Before delving deeper into the scope of electrical and electronics engineering, it’s important to know about what electrical and electronics engineering is meant for.

What is Electrical Engineering (EE)?

Electrical engineering is the core study of the applications of electricity and electronics, which is one of the most chosen streams by engineering students. It was introduced dates back to the 19^th century. ‘Faraday’s Law of Induction’ brought revolution in Electrical Engineering by introducing new concepts of current flow. Mainly the electrical engineering study involves:

      • Generation of electricity

      • Transmission of electricity

      • Distribution of electricity

The pioneer discoveries in electrical engineering are induction motors by Nicola Tesla, electric light bulb by Thomas Alva Edison, and radio by Guglielmo Marconi. These innovators transformed the scenario by implementing the concept of electrical engineering into practical devices. The specialized categories of EE encompass power generation and transmission systems, motors, batteries and control systems.          

What is Electronics Engineering?

The electronics engineering revolves around the study of electronic devices, circuits, equipment, and systems. While pursuing electronics engineering, students learn to utilize a wide range of electronic components from analogue to digital components, microcontrollers, microprocessors, and programmable logic devices. The specific branches of electronic engineering mainly include:

      • Analogue Electronics

      • Digital Electronics

      • Power Electronics

      • Embedded Systems

      • Communication Systems

In 1904, John Ambrose Fleming invented the thermionic diode vacuum tube and this invention is referred to as the ‘birth of electronics’. This vacuum tube worked as the foundation of all electronics of that time, including television, and radar. Later on, transistors replaced the vacuum tubes in 1947, which was the invention of William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain at AT&T's Bell Laboratories. 

Difference between Electrical Engineering and Electronics Engineering

Electrical and electronics are two related forms of engineering. However, most of the engineering UG and PG courses club these technologies together since both the technologies complement each other. B.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, B.E in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and M.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering are the major courses offered at engineering institutions. Electrical and electronics engineering can be distinguished by the functions performed in both the specializations. Below table might be a help:

Functions of Electrical Engineers	Functions of Electronics Engineers
Developing/ improving products by using electric power.	Building software, electronic components, and products for commercial, industrial and residential use.
Manufacturing and installation of electrical goods after performing detailed calculation.	Creating testing and maintenance environment for electronic components and equipment
Testing of electrical equipment to ensure the products meet the standards and specifications.	Inspecting of electronic goods to ensure their safety standards and applicable regulations.
Investigating the consumer complaints, evaluate the issues, and recommend the solutions.	Improving the technical performance of electronic properties by development and modifications.
Coordination with project managers to warrant the on-time project delivery within the budgetary constraints.	Constant evaluation of electronic equipment to keep a check on modifications and repair.

The above-said job duties of electrical and electronics engineers highlight the major differences in both the streams of engineering. However, the fundamental differences can be mentioned as below:

Major Differences: Electrical V/S Electronics Engineering

Aspects	Electrical Engineering	Electronics Engineering
Circuits	No Processing Capability	Have Processing Capability
Function	Circuits power machines with electricity	Circuits interpret an instruction or a signal
Component Structure	Electrical components are large and use AC voltages	Mostly, electronic components are tiny and work with single microprocessor

Types of Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering can be classified as follows:

      • Energy Systems

      • Power Engineering

      • Systems and Control

      • Instrumentation and Real Time Computing

      • Video, Image and Speech Processing

Types of Electronics Engineering

Electronics engineering can be classified as follows:

      • Telecommunications Engineering

      • Embedded Systems Design

      • Microelectronics

      • Electromagnetic Engineering

      • Control Engineering

      • Instrumentation Engineering

      • VLSI Design Engineering

      • Computer Engineering

Why Electrical and Electronics Engineering come together?

The mechanism of almost all modern appliances is designed with the combination of electrical and electronic circuitry.  Hence, studying both the forms of engineering altogether has become mandatory for aspiring students to learn the circuit programming of the appliances wholly. The electric circuits in an appliance help it operate while the electronic circuits interpret the signals or instruction transmitted by the users and let the machine perform accordingly.

Expanding Scope of Electrical and Electronics Engineering with Government of India Initiatives

Scope of Electrical Engineering

‘Vision 2022 for Indian Electrical Equipment Industry’- an initiative by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises has amplified the scope of electrical and electronics engineering in India.

Estimated growth (in US$ Billion) of the electrical engineering market by 2021-22 is as follows:

Source: https://dhi.nic.in/writereaddata/Content/indian_mission_plan_2012-2022.pdf

With the help of the above illustration, it can be said that the EE market in India is expected to see unprecedented growth as the projection for ‘Net EE Market’ is USD 100 Billion. It is anticipated that the growth of generation equipment segment might reach up to Rs. 125,000 crore whereas T&D equipment segment will touch the figure of Rs. 375,000 crore. On the other hand, the partnership of Indian electrical engineering in global EE trade will be 2% by 2022, which is currently hanging around 0.8%. The import rate is also expected to decrease by 7-8% due to continual advancements in Indian electrical engineering.

The aforesaid stats show that Indian EE Ecosystem is on the right path and the scope is all set to increases every day. As far as job opportunities are concerned, the report of Vision 2022 says that there will be direct recruitment of 1.5 million and indirect recruitment of 2 million electrical engineers. This initiative or vision is all about the ambitions and capabilities of the Indian electrical equipment industry.   

Scope of Electronics Engineering

Under the‘Electronics System Development and Maintenance (ESDM)’ scheme, the government puts endeavors to impart training for up-skilling the existing manpower for service and manufacturing industry. ESDM is also referred to as a prerogative of Prime Minister of India under ‘Make in India… Made in India’ scheme. Read the below pointers to know how the government’s indulgence in ESDM has been enlarging the scope in electronics engineering.

      • Government has introduced Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP) and fiscal interventions to promote the production of electronic products within the national boundaries.

      • Information Technology Agreement (ITA-1) of WTO has been focusing on devising the right methods for encouraging the production of electronic goods.

      • Fuelling electronic industry by launching incentive mechanisms such as interest subsidy, credit default guarantee, etc. to support the expansion of existing units and setup of new manufacturing units.

      • Exemption on the import duty levied over capital equipment to reduce the expenditure on capital of existing as well as new manufacturing units.

      • Government support for ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging) lines for identified electronic components/ products.

      • Launch of new schemes aimed at infrastructural development along with the amendments in the prevailing Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC) scheme by boosting Brownfield and Greenfield manufacturing clusters.

Along with the above-information, the below table will describe how the reduced import from 2015 to 2017 is going to impact the electronic industry:

S.No	Product	2015-16 (USD Million)	2016-17 (USD Million)	Difference in both years (In %)
1	Video Game Consoles and Machines	21.00	15.64	-26%
2	Printers and MFD	83.51	59.13	-13%
3	Personal Computers	2232.19	2148.75	-4%
4	Mobile Phones	5922.51	3739.95	-37%
5	Microwave Ovens	57.28	53.13	-7%
6	Electrical Inverters	206.67	180.57	-13%
7	DTH Set Top Box	642.90	367.37	-43%
8	Computer Monitors	401.82	281.66	-15%
9	Automatic Data Processing Machines	258.23	240.04	-3%
10	Audio Frequency Electric Amplifiers	20.72	16.41	-21%

Source: https://digitalindia.gov.in/writereaddata/files/5.Electronics.pdf

Such a decrease in the import of primary electronic goods has been showing the highly positive signs of remarkable growth in the scope of electrical and electronics engineering in India.

Scope of Electrical and Electronics Engineering- A Study of Global Job Market Size

According to the study of ‘Bureau of Labour Statistics’, the outlook of jobs in different sectors for electrical and electronics engineers in 2016-17 along with the predictive growth is as follows:

Quick Facts: Electrical and Electronics Engineers
2017 Median Pay	$97,970 per year $47.10 per hour
Employment Change, 2016-26	21,300
Job Outlook, 2016-26	7% (As fast as average)
Number of Jobs, 2016	324,600
Typical Entry-Level Education	Bachelor's degree

Source- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm

Job Market Scenario for Electrical and Electronics Engineers in India

At present, the number of electrical engineers serving in different industries has touched around 2,00,000 in India. With the help of below stats, the industries that cater the job opportunities to electrical engineers are represented-:

S.No	Nature of Industry	% of Electrical Engineers Employed
1	Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing	6
2	Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences	8
3	Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing	6
4	Engineering services	19
5	Electric power generation, transmission and distribution	10

On the other hand, electronics engineers have occupied around 150,000 job opportunities in India. The largest employers for electronics engineers are as follows:

Electronics engineers, except computer, hold about 136,300 jobs. The largest employers of electronics engineers, except computer are as follows:

S.No	Nature of Industry	% of Electrical Engineers Employed
1.	Engineering services	9
2.	Federal government, excluding postal service	13
3.	Navigational, measuring, electro-medical, and control instruments manufacturing	7
4.	Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing	12
5.	Telecommunications	18

The survey by Bureau of Labour Statistics suggests that the electrical and electronics job market will grow at a pace of 7% per year, which is no less than any other industry. It also shows the ample scope of electrical and electronics engineering industry worldwide. In India, the flagship schemes by the government have brought enthusiasm to the electrical and electronic industry and it is also a great sign for the job opportunities for the engineers in the near future. 

It is predicted that the scope of electrical and electronics engineers will multiply largely in the core industries. The companies are expected to rely upon the expertise of skilled engineers only to handle the tasks like manufacturing of electrical and electronics devices and components. It depicts that the engineers are going to be in demand for a very long time.

The projections for the job opportunities by 2026 say that the job size of 324,600 in 2016 will touch 345,800 jobs for electrical and electronics engineers with a 7% hike. Hence, the total increase in job opportunities would be 21,200. If talk m about the electrical engineers only, the number of jobs in 2016 were 188,300 and it will witness a hike of 9% (i.e. 16,200 in numbers) by 2026. On the other hand, there were total jobs for electronics engineers (except computers) 136,300 in 2016. It will see a growth of 4% and 5,100 new opportunities will be added to respective industries.

Wrap Up

This entire write-up is based on facts and figures, which proves the dominance of electrical and electronics engineering- not just currently, but in future as well the scope of electrical and electronics engineers will remain unaffected by the factors like technical advancements and advancements, recession, etc. Hence, the moral of the story is that the students looking to pursue engineering education after 12^thstandard can go for electrical and electronics engineering, without a doubt, as it is one of the burgeoning streams of engineering in the coming future. Tap into your future by applying for B.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering.