Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

What Electronics Engineers, Except Computer do

You design the electronics inside things like medical devices, satellites, and radios, then test them until they work the way they should.

Electronics engineers design and test the circuits and components that make modern equipment work. That could mean the guidance system in an aircraft, a hospital monitor, a phone network, or a sensor on a factory line. You sketch designs using computer-aided design software (programs that let you build and simulate a circuit on screen before anything is built), then check whether the real thing performs as expected.

A lot of the job is judgment. Will this part survive heat or vibration? Is it worth the cost? You also write up specifications and test procedures so other people can build, install, and repair what you designed. Some people focus on chip design, some on testing, some on guiding products through manufacturing. Job titles include design engineer, product engineer, and test engineer.

A day in the life

You work indoors, mostly at a desk in a climate-controlled office or lab, and you sit for long stretches. Morning starts with email and a look at test results from yesterday. You open your design software and adjust a circuit that ran hotter than it should. Then a meeting: you talk through a schedule with other engineers, or call a supplier about a part that is hard to get. Later a customer asks why their equipment keeps failing, and you walk them through what to check. You spend an hour writing documentation, the detailed descriptions and specifications others will rely on. Some days you are alone with a problem for hours. Other days you are talking to people almost constantly.

How people get in

1. 1Take as much math, physics, and computer coursework as you can in high school, and build small electronics projects on your own if you can.
2. 2Earn a bachelor's degree, which is the typical entry education. Common programs are electrical and electronics engineering or telecommunications engineering.
3. 3Get hands-on during school through labs, student design teams, or an internship or a co-op (a paid work placement that counts toward your degree).
4. 4Learn the computer-aided design and simulation tools engineers use, since operating that software is a core part of the job.
5. 5Apply for junior engineering roles, which may carry titles like test engineer or product engineer, where you usually work alongside experienced engineers.
6. 6Consider a specialty over time, such as chip design, aerospace systems, or medical devices, and keep learning as standards and parts change.

Who tends to enjoy it

Official task list

Electronics Engineers, Except Computer research, design, develop, or test electronic components and systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use employing knowledge of electronic theory and materials properties. Design electronic circuits and components for use in fields such as telecommunications, aerospace guidance and propulsion control, acoustics, or instruments and controls. (O*NET)

• Design electronic components, software, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, medical, military, or scientific applications.
• Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform electronics engineering tasks.
• Evaluate project work to ensure effectiveness, technical adequacy, or compatibility in the resolution of complex electronics engineering problems.
• Direct or coordinate activities concerned with manufacture, construction, installation, maintenance, operation, or modification of electronic equipment, products, or systems.
• Confer with engineers, customers, vendors, or others to discuss existing or potential electronics engineering projects or products.
• Provide technical support or instruction to staff or customers regarding electronics equipment standards.
• Recommend repair or design modifications of electronics components or systems, based on factors such as environment, service, cost, or system capabilities.
• Prepare documentation containing information such as confidential descriptions or specifications of proprietary hardware or software, product development or introduction schedules, product costs, or information about product performance weaknesses.

A typical day involves

How much Electronics Engineers, Except Computer make

The median pay for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer in the U.S. is $130,220 a year ($62.60 an hour). Most earn between $81,840 and $206,960. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)

Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in California ($160,520) and lowest in Iowa ($81,330).

Where to study for this

College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.

• Electrical and Electronics Engineering 452 colleges
• Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering, Other 31 colleges
• Telecommunications Engineering 18 colleges

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