Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Using computers, software, digital systems, and technology to complete work and solve problems.
Paying close attention to accuracy, quality, instructions, and small but important details.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become an Electrical or Electronic Engineering Technologist or Technician Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians typically need an associate’s degree. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians typically need an associate’s degree. However, requirements may vary by employer.
Education
Associate’s degree programs in electrical or electronic engineering technology are available at community colleges and vocational–technical schools. Programs accredited by professional organizations typically include courses such as algebra, programming languages, physics, and circuitry. Depending on the job tasks or the industry, employers may prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor’s degree. Candidates for other jobs may qualify with a high school diploma.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
Certifications in a variety of fields are available for electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians. While optional, these credentials show that the designee has advanced knowledge. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop.
Your Next Step
Compare colleges and education options that can support the typical entry-level education for this career.
Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035. Despite limited employment growth, about 8,100 openings for electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians work closely with electrical and electronics engineers and computer hardware engineers. These workers are needed to support the continuing integration of computer and electronics systems, such as those found in automobiles and in various portable and household products. However, as more manual tasks performed by these technologists and technicians are automated, growth in this occupation could be limited. Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Total, all occupations 3% Drafters, engineering technicians, and mapping technicians 3% Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians 2% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians Do
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians help electrical and electronics engineers plan and develop communications equipment, computers, medical monitoring devices, or other equipment that is powered by other electricity or electric current. They often work in product evaluation and testing, using measuring and diagnostic devices to test, adjust, and repair equipment. They are also involved in assembling equipment for automation.
Duties
Electrical engineering technologists and technicians typically do the following:
- Assemble electrical and electronic systems and prototypes
- Build, calibrate, and repair electrical instruments or testing equipment
- Visit sites where systems are made to observe conditions affecting design
- Identify solutions to technical design problems that arise in making electrical systems
- Inspect designs for quality control, report findings, and recommend changes, if necessary
- Draw diagrams and write specifications about design details of experimental electronics units
Electrical engineering technologists and technicians install and maintain electrical control systems and equipment and adjust electrical prototypes, parts, and assemblies to correct problems. When testing systems, they set up equipment and evaluate how the parts, assemblies, or systems perform under simulated conditions. They also analyze test information to resolve design problems.
Electronic engineering technologists and technicians typically do the following:
- Create basic circuitry and draft sketches to clarify details of design, under engineers’ direction
- Build prototypes from plans or sketches
- Assemble, test, and maintain circuitry or electronic components according to engineering instructions, knowledge of electronics, and technical manuals
- Adjust and replace defective circuitry and electronic components
- Make parts, such as coils and terminal boards, using bench lathes, drills, or other machine tools
Electronic engineering technologists and technicians identify and repair equipment malfunctions. They also calibrate and perform preventive maintenance on equipment and systems.
These workers often need to read blueprints, diagrams, and engineering instructions for assembling electronic units. They also write reports and record data on testing techniques, laboratory equipment, and specifications.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians held about 96,900 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians were as follows:
| Federal government | 12% |
| Engineering services | 11 |
| Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing | 10 |
| Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing | 8 |
| Utilities | 7 |
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians work on teams with electrical and electronics engineers. They work in offices, laboratories, and factories because their job tasks involve both engineering theory and assembly-line production.
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians may be exposed to hazards from equipment or toxic materials, but incidents are rare if procedures are followed.
Work Schedules
Most electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians work full time. Some work day or night shifts, depending on production schedules. In the federal government, their schedules usually follow a standard workweek.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Communication skills. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians must be able to follow instructions from engineers and others. They also need to clearly convey problems to engineers. Detail oriented. Electrical engineering technologists and technicians must pay attention to detail when assembling, troubleshooting, and repairing electronic and electrical mechanical systems. Math skills. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians use mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting tasks. Mechanical skills. Electronic engineering technologists and technicians must use hand tools and soldering irons on small circuitry and electronic parts to build components by hand. Problem-solving skills. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians must be able to identify and fix problems that arise in assembling and inspecting electrical engineers' designs and prototypes. Writing skills. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians write reports about onsite construction, design problems, or testing results. Their writing must be clear and well organized to convey the information in the reports.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.