In the field of electrical engineering, you’ll study electricity, electromagnetism, and electronics. You could work in a number of industries with a degree in this field, including telecommunications, computers, power, and microelectronics. Some electrical engineering degrees allow you to specialize in one of these sub-categories, while others offer a more general overview of the field.

After you complete a degree program in your topic area, you can work toward professional certification. While you don’t legally need this certification to work in electrical engineering, most employers require that you have it or are working toward it. In order to get this certification, you need to both an education from an accredited university and work experience.

With certification in this field, you could work wiring buildings for electricity, monitoring electrical power stations, operating and maintaining telecommunication databases, designing appliances and machinery, and more. Almost every industry has a use for electrical engineers. You could also work for a consulting firm, helping a variety of clients across multiple industries work with their electrical systems.

According to PayScale, you can expect to make $55,848 – $80,717 as an electrical engineer. Some of the top employers in this field include the United States military, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman, and most positions also include medical, dental, and other benefits. You can make more money in this industry by getting a higher degree, so consider going back to school to get your bachelor’s degree or even master’s degree.

This is a great field to consider if you have a strong aptitude in math and science. Keep in mind that you’ll also often do administrative tasks in this kind of position, working with project financing and accounting, public relations, proposal writing, and client scheduling. You education in this field and on-the-job training through your employer will prepare you for all of these tasks and more, so you can be successful in the field of electrical engineering as long as you’re willing to work hard.

Associate’s Degrees in Electrical Engineering

• Cleveland Institute of Electronics — AAS in Electronics Engineering Technology
• ECPI College of Technology — AS in Electronics Engineering Technology

Bachelor’s Degrees in Electrical Engineering

• ECPI College of Technology — BS in Electronics Engineering Technology
• DeVry University — BS in Electronics Engineering Technology
• Grantham University — BS in Electronics Engineering Technology

Master’s Degrees in Electrical Engineering

• DeVry University — MS in Electrical Engineering
• Drexel University — MS in Electrical Engineering