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Boston Career Explorer

Architecture and Engineering

Electrical Engineers

Research, design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, or systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use.

Also called: Circuits Engineer, Design Engineer, Electrical Controls Engineer, Electrical Design Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Electrical Project Engineer

Median pay in Greater Boston
$128,610
$61.83/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
4,030
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+3.6%
270 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Bachelor's degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$78,800$100,030$128,610$161,770$176,470

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Design, implement, maintain, or improve electrical instruments, equipment, facilities, components, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, or domestic purposes.
  • Oversee project production efforts to assure projects are completed on time and within budget.
  • Direct or coordinate manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, support, documentation, or testing activities to ensure compliance with specifications, codes, or customer requirements.
  • Perform detailed calculations to compute and establish manufacturing, construction, or installation standards or specifications.
  • Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform engineering tasks.
  • Confer with engineers, customers, or others to discuss existing or potential engineering projects or products.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure71 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 77
  • Language-model AIOE 71
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 65

Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)

Electrical engineering has higher AI exposure, and some AI use has been observed. AI tools can help with detailed calculations and design software work. Overseeing budgets and schedules, and making sure installations meet codes and customer needs, depend on people. Federal projections note that demand may grow as electrical infrastructure is updated.

Likely to change

  • Detailed design calculations
  • Work in engineering design software

Still relies on people

  • Coordinating installation and testing teams
  • Keeping projects on time and budget

What federal projections say

“Demand change - share increases as electrical infrastructure is updated and new electrical systems and technology are developed.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Industrial Production Managers

    Experience coordinating production, meeting specifications, and checking quality carries over, and this move offers management duties and higher pay.

    Pay difference
    +$24,600 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +2.3%
    To get started
    Bachelor's degree

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

14 programs near Boston (plus 13 graduate)

Related occupations

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