What Does an Electronics Engineer Do?
An oscilloscope trace that jumps when it should hold steady can send an electronics engineer back to the schematic for the rest of the afternoon. Electronics engineers design the circuits and circuit boards inside medical devices, phones and radar systems, and most work in labs and offices for manufacturers, defense contractors and telecom companies. They build and test prototypes before a design goes for certification.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Compatibility Test Engineer, Design Engineer, Electronics Design Engineer, Engineer, Evaluation Engineer, Integrated Circuit Design Engineer (IC Design Engineer), Product Engineer, Radio Frequency Engineer (RF Engineer).
Electronics Engineer Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an electronics engineer include:
- Design analog and digital circuits and draw schematics in tools such as Altium or KiCad.
- Lay out printed circuit boards, or review layouts drawn by designers.
- Select components for cost, supply and performance, and write parts lists.
- Build and test prototypes with oscilloscopes, signal generators and spectrum analyzers.
- Troubleshoot failures to the component level and document the fixes.
- Run tests for electromagnetic compatibility and safety standards before products are certified.
- Write specifications, test plans and design review notes for other engineers.
- Simulate circuit behavior in SPICE before building any hardware.
- Support manufacturing by solving production defects and approving design changes.
- Work with software engineers to bring up firmware on new hardware.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an electronics engineer, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Circuit design and analysis
- Altium Designer, KiCad or OrCAD
- Lab instruments: oscilloscopes, analyzers and power supplies
- SPICE simulation
- Embedded systems and firmware basics
- Knowledge of EMC and product safety standards
- Clear technical writing
- Methodical troubleshooting
Education and Training
To become an electronics engineer, in most cases you will need a bachelor's degree in electrical or electronics engineering to qualify for entry-level design work. Most states require engineers who offer services directly to the public to be licensed as professional engineers (PE). A master's degree helps for research and design lead roles.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $101,680 - $167,670 per year, with a median of $130,220.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Electronics Engineers, Except Computer.
According to BLS projections, employment of electronics engineers (outside computer hardware) will grow about 4 percent from 2025 to 2035. Openings should run near 4,900 a year. Hiring often is tied to defense, medical device and telecom spending, but engineers always will be needed as more products add sensors and wireless links.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Electronics engineers, except computer.
Electronics Engineer Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $81,840 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $101,680 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $130,220 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $167,670 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $206,960 |
Highest-Paying States for Electronics Engineers
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are California ($160,520), New Jersey ($158,730), District of Columbia ($157,040), Maryland ($155,650), Massachusetts ($138,230). Pay is lowest in Vermont ($86,180), South Dakota ($84,150), Iowa ($81,330).
Median pay in all 50 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $120,720 |
| Alaska | $106,810 |
| Arizona | $118,120 |
| Arkansas | $109,830 |
| California | $160,520 |
| Colorado | $127,010 |
| Connecticut | $106,040 |
| District of Columbia | $157,040 |
| Florida | $116,860 |
| Georgia | $123,010 |
| Hawaii | $126,690 |
| Idaho | $102,770 |
| Illinois | $129,390 |
| Indiana | $112,200 |
| Iowa | $81,330 |
| Kansas | $103,740 |
| Kentucky | $101,860 |
| Louisiana | $100,390 |
| Maine | $127,490 |
| Maryland | $155,650 |
| Massachusetts | $138,230 |
| Michigan | $127,200 |
| Minnesota | $112,390 |
| Mississippi | $112,400 |
| Missouri | $117,630 |
| Montana | $93,380 |
| Nebraska | $91,140 |
| Nevada | $116,180 |
| New Hampshire | $105,190 |
| New Jersey | $158,730 |
| New Mexico | $136,990 |
| New York | $119,180 |
| North Carolina | $115,920 |
| North Dakota | $104,860 |
| Ohio | $118,830 |
| Oklahoma | $109,120 |
| Oregon | $124,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $121,260 |
| Rhode Island | $136,360 |
| South Carolina | $113,720 |
| South Dakota | $84,150 |
| Tennessee | $122,920 |
| Texas | $132,220 |
| Utah | $128,430 |
| Vermont | $86,180 |
| Virginia | $119,990 |
| Washington | $130,270 |
| West Virginia | $120,170 |
| Wisconsin | $93,710 |
| Wyoming | $95,910 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as electronics engineers, except computer about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 87% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 85% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 76% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 70% have a lot of freedom to make decisions
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 83% |
| Associate's degree | 14% |
Tools and Software Electronics Engineers Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy hands-on work with tools, machines or the outdoors as well as analyzing problems and working with ideas.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Speaking, Active Listening, Judgment and Decision Making.
Knowledge areas used most: Engineering and Technology, Computers and Electronics, Design, Mathematics, English Language.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 4 of 5, which means considerable preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
Applying for an Electronics Engineer Job
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 17-2072.00 (Electronics Engineers, Except Computer). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.