Electronics are an essential part of modern society. Most of the appliances we have around the house are electronic as well as our computers, mobile phones and so on. Electronics engineers are responsible for designing and producing a huge range of these technologies such as GPS systems, portable music players and more. Electronics engineers generally do not work with computers, as this is a specialist role for computer engineers.

Usually electronics engineers specialize in a particular area such as communications, signal processing or aviation electronics for example. How they differ from electrical engineers is that electrical engineers concentrate on the production and supply of electricity whereas electronics engineers are concerned with the application of electricity to control systems or for signal processing. Electronics engineers generally only deal with small amounts of electricity as opposed to large generators and plants that electrical engineers may work on. Most electronics engineers work with consumer goods such as televisions and stereos, although others work on equipment for industrial and commercial use.

There are a huge range of different jobs that electronics engineers can be involved in, and each one is different to the next. They could be working on developing the latest television or they could be developing heart rate monitors for hospitals.

 

 

The majority of electronics engineers are hired in private practice, however some are employed by state and federal governments and on military or space programs. Some of the types of companies that may hire a full-time electronics engineer include telecommunications companies, and electrical goods companies. Some electronics engineers work as contractors, and companies who don't require a full-time electronic engineer may hire contractors to complete certain projects. Electronics engineers with doctorate degrees may also work at universities either as researchers or teachers.

Becoming an electronics engineer is very competitive and hard work. All entry level jobs in electronic engineering require a minimum of a bachelor degree in electronic engineering. Entry into these degrees are very competitive, with applicants needing to show strong abilities in maths, and the sciences - particularly physics. Many employers prefer applicants to have a masters or advanced degree for many jobs. Bachelors degrees in engineering usually take around four to five years, and you can choose electronics as a specialty. A masters degree will take approximately one to two years full time. If you are wanting to pursue a job as a researcher or professor, a doctorate degree is necessary, and this takes approximately four years to complete.

For those that want to work as private electronic engineers and offer their services to the public, they are required under U.S. law to have a license valid for the state in which they work. To obtain one you must first hold a minimum of a bachelors degree, plus four years of work experience in your chosen field before being able to sit the state examination. After passing this you will then be granted a license to practice electronics engineering.

 

 

 

 

There are great opportunities to advance within the electronics engineer career path. Most graduates begin as junior electronics engineers who will usually be supervised by a more senior engineer. As they became more experienced they can rise up the ladder indefinitely.

There are approximately 138,000 electronics engineers currently employed in the USA, and this is set to rise by up to 4 percent over the next 10 years or so. This is lower than most other areas of engineering, this is largely due to the fact that many other countries are offering lower priced electrical goods so the markets are shifting to Asia as opposed to the USA. However, there will still be a great demand for electronics engineers for several years to come. Electronics engineers in service-providing areas are expected to be the fastest growing of all sectors of the industry.

On average, electronics engineers in the USA earn $81,000 per year. The lowest 10 percent of electronics engineers earn around $52,000 per year; and the highest 10 percent earn approximately $119,000 per year.

The average starting salary for electronics engineers with a bachelors degree is $56,000 per year; for masters degrees it is $66,000 per year; and for doctorates it is approximately $76,000 per year.