Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
The job market isn't what it was in the 90s, and that reality is reflected in the downcast faces of millions of unemployed college graduates. However, having a degree in electrical engineering gives you relatively better job security. Not only will you have a good shot at landing a job, but that job will likely pay a lot better, too.
If it sounds too good to be true, you're overlooking the hard work. Take a step back and breathe in the calculus. You'll have to hit the books pretty hard for this major, and hopefully not out of frustration. It isn't completely intuitive, and learning requires a lot of rote memorization. Some majors will let you slink past with a rudimentary understanding of the material, but not electrical engineering. They'll run you through the gauntlet and expect you to ask for more.
But hey, creating and designing electrical equipment as a career? You'd actually know how to get the lawnmower working again, or why your computer makes that whirring sound. This is knowledge that most people don't take the time to learn. Electrical engineers are very valuable members of today's technological society.
Common Career Fields
Aerospace and Automotive: Think of all the electrical systems that come into play when launching a shuttle into space. It might make you go "blargh" if you think about it too much, so don't. Just trust us when we say there are a lot. On a smaller scale, consider using your cell phone. In both instances, somebody has to make sure these systems are both operational and safe.
Communications Systems: Thankfully, carrier pigeons are a thing of the past. These days, if you want to talk with your mother in Russia, you can do so via video chat. New systems like these are what communications systems are all about: moving forward. These folks are constantly finding more efficient ways of constructing codes so we can interact with each other from the comfort of our own couch. Ah, an introverted couch potato's dream come true.
Computers: Computer science and electrical engineering are closely related because they both require being fluent in programming language. This is the sort of career that would be great for the young boy who took apart the television without realizing that he didn't know how to put it back together. Needless to say, he probably didn't get dessert that night, or any other night, ever again. Don't be that boy. The computer world changes daily, partially thanks to the engineers that are behind them.
Energy Industry: We've come a long way from burning whale blubber for lanterns. Thankfully, we've progressed into more efficient and more environmentally friendly means, and our progress just keeps on going. Engineers are tirelessly striving to create energy-efficient ways to power our iPods and apartments. Wind turbines and solar energy are great examples of the renewable energy methods.
Power Systems: Those gigantic metal towers that run phone and cable lines aren't easy to handle, and we can't have any ol' person working on them. Similarly, we need electrical engineers to be the backbone of our power grids. The thought of entire cities losing power is not only horrifying because of the damage it would cause, but think of all the Will Sasso vines we'd miss. Oh, the horror.
Robotics: Every child born in the last thirty years has probably wished that he or she could make a robot, which is something that all electrical engineering majors are trained to do. Luckily, we haven't quite achieved Terminator or Robocop status, and let's hope we never get to live that particular portion of sci-fi. But if creating a robot isn't your thing, robotics also includes prosthetics. People born without an arm or soldiers who lose a foot will be ever thankful for your work.
Semiconductors: If you think your computer is run by tiny little fairies that use magic to display your homework, then you've got some major enlightenment headed your way. All of the microprocessors and chips within the hardware of a computer have been developed by the hands of electrical engineers. Without them, we'd have to actually remember stuff instead of programming reminders on our phones.
Current unemployment of the major
5.5%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
42%Stats obtained from this source.