All careersEngineering & science

Electrical Engineering Technician

$78,190
median / year
$49,510 – $115,700
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Build, test, calibrate, and repair electrical and electronic equipment and prototypes.

You may also see this posted as: Electronics Engineering Technician, Engineering Technician (Engineering Tech), Engineering Technologist, Technologist, Communications Technologist, Electrical Technician.

Where you work

Laboratories, factories, utilities, and engineering offices.

The hours

Usually full-time; manufacturing roles may use shifts.

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • 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.
  • Read blueprints, wiring diagrams, schematic drawings, or engineering instructions for assembling electronics units, applying knowledge of electronic theory and components.
  • Identify and resolve equipment malfunctions, working with manufacturers or field representatives as necessary to procure replacement parts.

Good fit if you like…

Realistic

working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world

Investigative

solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work

Conventional

organizing information, following systems, and getting details right

O*NET job zone 3 of 5

Medium preparation—often vocational training, an associate degree, or substantial experience—is usually needed.

Work styles that matter most

Attention to DetailDependabilityCautiousnessIntellectual Curiosity

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookAdobe AcrobatAutodesk AutoCADAutodesk Revit

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$78,190
per year
Hourly median
$37.59
per hour
What most earn
$49,510–$115,700
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~8,400
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+0.6%
Little change
Working in the U.S.
95,130
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

BLS estimates 0.1% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Associate degree

Training path: Associate degree in electronics or electrical engineering technology.

Related work experience: None.

On-the-job training: None.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

Circuit testingElectronicsSchematicsTroubleshooting

The honest take

Builds, tests, and repairs electrical and electronic systems alongside engineers.

Standard Occupational Classification 17-3023. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.