If you're a curious person who enjoys learning how things work, an associate degree in electrical engineering technology might be for you. This degree should help you land an entry-level job assisting electrical engineers or electronics engineers or prepare you for advanced educational opportunities.
Electrical Engineering Technology Associate Degree Program Overview
Degree programs in electrical engineering technology are typically offered at the associate degree and bachelor's degree levels. Students enrolled in a 2-year associate degree program in the field learn how to apply mathematical, scientific and engineering concepts to the design, development and analysis of technological issues in an array of industries. Electrical theory and related principles are also covered, and students learn how to use these to test and modify electrical machinery, electrical control equipment and circuitry in industrial and commercial plants and laboratories. Graduates of associate degree programs in electrical engineering technology usually work under the direction of engineering professionals, including electrical engineers and technologists.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutTheseCareers">Important Facts About These Careers</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><th> </th><th> Electrical Engineers </th><th> Electrical Technicians</th></tr>
<tr><td> Median Salary (2021) </td><td> $100,420</td><td> $63,640</td></tr>
<tr><td> Job Outlook (2021-2031) </td><td> 2% </td><td> 0%</td></tr>
<tr><td> Key Skills </td><td> Concentration, initiative, math, speaking, and writing skills </td><td> Observational, mechanical, logical-thinking, and problem-solving skills</td></tr>
<tr><td> Work Environment </td><td> Typically in an office setting, sometimes going out to sites to examine equipment </td><td> Typically in a team-setting in an office, laboratory, or factory; sometimes exposed to dangerous materials</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---EntryLevelCareerOptions">Entry-Level Career Options</h3><p>Graduates who hold associate degrees in electrical engineering technology can typically find employment as engineering technicians. They assist engineers and scientists engaged in designing, drafting, testing and producing electrical products. Their duties include laboratory and field testing, gathering and evaluating data, and calibrating a variety of instrumentation.
</p><p>Graduates who earn associate degrees from electrical engineering technology programs have the training for employment in a wide variety of industries. Their work may include aerospace engineering, utilities and projects in the following fields:
</p><ul><li>Communications
</li><li>Power
</li><li>Electromechanics
</li><li>Electronics
</li><li>Aerospace
</li><li>Transportation
</li><li>Medical Technology
</li><li>Manufacturing
</li><li>Computers
</li></ul><h3 id="section---TrainingAndEducationalRequirements">Training and Educational Requirements</h3><p>Although some firms hire engineering technicians with a high school diploma or GED and several years of experience, most companies give preference to applicants with an associate degree. These 2-year electrical engineering technology programs teach students to apply principles of mathematics and applied science to technological questions, to perform technical computations and to solve common issues in the electrical engineering field. They generally include the following coursework:
</p><ul><li>Digital electronic design
</li><li>CAD
</li><li>Electrical circuits
</li><li>Physics
</li><li>Microprocessor interfacing</li></ul>
