Updated for 2026

Electrical Engineering Technician Salary in 2026

This Electrical Engineering Technician salary guide for 2026 centers on Careerclev's modeled national salary benchmark, built from the latest official BLS wage baseline and extended with wage trend history, employment outlook, and tech-market signals where available. It covers average salary, hourly pay, experience bands, salary by city, salary by state, industry premiums, in-demand skills, and long-term job outlook so readers can compare what drives higher compensation. Official BLS and O*NET title: "Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technologists & Technicians".

Last updated: 202692,710 employment estimateFull salary breakdown12 min read
Average Salary
$87.5K
per year (USA)
Entry Level
$54.8K
starting range
Senior Level
$108K
upper percentile
Top Earners
$142K+
lead / principal
Hourly Rate
$42
avg. equivalent
Salary figures projected to 2026  from May 2024BLS OEWS baseline·  Projections use wage history, employment outlook, and tech-market signals where available
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What Does a Electrical Engineering Technician Earn?

Careerclev's modeled 2026 benchmark places Electrical Engineering Technician pay at $87,521.0 per year in the United States. On the latest official 2024 BLS wage baseline, the lower end of the Electrical Engineering Technician salary range starts around $48,250.0, while experienced professionals and top earners can reach $111,790 or more.

That national figure is only the starting point. In practice, pay for this role changes quickly once location, industry, experience level, and specialization enter the picture. A Electrical Engineering Technician working in Birmingham, AL or a stronger salary industry like Real Estate, Rental, and Leasing may see a very different salary path than someone in a lower-cost market, especially when skills like role-specific skills and advanced tools define the role.

Key 2026 BenchmarkThe national median Electrical Engineering Technician salary is $87,521.0, with an estimated hourly equivalent of $42.

What Electrical Engineering Technician Professionals Do

Apply electrical and electronic theory and related knowledge, usually under the direction of engineering staff, to design, build, repair, adjust, and modify electrical components, circuitry, controls, and machinery for subsequent evaluation and use by engineering staff in making engineering design decisions.

Typical Responsibilities

Modify, maintain, or repair electronics equipment or systems to ensure proper functioning.
Core
Replace defective components or parts, using hand tools and precision instruments.
Core
Set up and operate specialized or standard test equipment to diagnose, test, or analyze the performance of electronic components, assemblies, or systems.
Core
Read blueprints, wiring diagrams, schematic drawings, or engineering instructions for assembling electronics units, applying knowledge of electronic theory and components.
Core
Identify and resolve equipment malfunctions, working with manufacturers or field representatives as necessary to procure replacement parts.
Core
Assemble electrical systems or prototypes, using hand tools or measuring instruments.
Core
Related job titlesCommunications Technologist, Electrical Engineering Technician, Electrical Technician, Electronics Engineering Technician, Electronics Technician, Engineering Technician (Engineering Tech)

Electrical Engineering Technician Salary by Experience Level

Experience is one of the strongest salary drivers for Electrical Engineering Technician roles. Entry-level workers usually sit closer to the lower salary band while senior, lead, and principal-level professionals move into higher ranges as they take on ownership, decision-making, mentoring, and more specialized work.

That progression matters because the headline median can hide how wide the real pay ladder is. For some roles, early-career pay stays close to the middle; for others, the gap between first-job pay and senior pay is large enough to change how attractive the path looks over time.

LevelExperienceAvg. Base SalaryEstimated Total PayGrowth vs Previous
Entry Level Electrical Engineering Technician0-2 years$54,771.0$57.5K - $72.2KN/A
Mid Level Electrical Engineering Technician3-5 years$87,544.0$74.9K - $117K+59.8%
Senior Level Electrical Engineering Technician6-10 years$107,502$98.9K - $143K+22.8%
Lead / Principal Electrical Engineering Technician10+ years$126,780$126K - $166K+17.9%
How to read the experience tableThe cards show the quick salary story, while the table gives a more detailed view of how Electrical Engineering Technicianpay can move from entry-level work into senior and lead responsibility.

Electrical Engineering Technician Salary by City

City salary differences matter because Electrical Engineering Technician jobs are tied to local employer demand, cost of living, and industry concentration. Markets like Birmingham, AL and Morgantown, WV can pay very differently even when the job title looks the same on paper.

That is why city pages are often more useful than national averages once you are actively job searching. They show whether a stronger nominal salary comes from a genuinely better market, a more specialized employer mix, or simply a more expensive metro.

United States — City Comparison

CityProjected SalaryVs. National BenchmarkCost of Living Signal
Birmingham, AL$120,040+37%High salary market
Morgantown, WV$106,820+22%High salary market
District Of Columbia$102,500+17%Competitive
Oxnard, CA$101,100+16%Competitive
Lexington Park, MD$99,760.0+14%Competitive
Bremerton, WA$99,520.0+14%Competitive
Maryland$98,660.0+13%Competitive
Bakersfield, CA$98,530.0+13%Competitive
Baton Rouge, LA$97,530.0+11%Competitive
Richmond, VA$96,150.0+10%Competitive
City salary pictureA higher Electrical Engineering Technician salary in a major metro does not always mean higher take-home value. Housing, taxes, commuting, and remote-work flexibility can change the real outcome.
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Electrical Engineering Technician Salary by Industry

Industry can change a Electrical Engineering Technician salary as much as geography. Employers in Real Estate, Rental, and Leasing may pay more when the role sits close to revenue, regulated operations, complex infrastructure, or scarce technical expertise.

IndustryProjected SalaryBonus PotentialJob SecurityGrowth Pace
Real Estate, Rental, and Leasing$102,410HighStrongFast
Information$98,740.0HighStrongFast
Government Excluding Schools, Hospitals, and Postal Service$96,990.0HighStrongFast
Utilities$95,110.0ModerateStrongFast
Management of Companies and Enterprises$85,000.0ModerateStrongModerate
Government, Schools, Hospitals, and Postal Service$84,530.0ModerateModerateModerate
Transportation and Warehousing$84,530.0ModerateModerateModerate
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction$77,260.0LowerModerateModerate
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services$74,090.0LowerVariableSlow
Administrative, Support, Waste Management, and Remediation Services$71,820.0LowerVariableSlow

The strongest-paying industries for Electrical Engineering Technician roles usually combine higher budgets with urgent business needs. Use this table to compare not only salary, but also the tradeoff between upside, stability, and long-term growth.

Electrical Engineering Technician Salary by Skill Specialization

Skills shape salary because they tell employers what kind of problems a Electrical Engineering Technician can solve. Strong signals around role-specific skills, advanced tools, tools, platforms, analysis, communication, and domain knowledge can help candidates move from average pay into stronger compensation bands.

Common tool stackO*NET maps Electrical Engineering Technician work to tools such as MathWorks Simulink, Microsoft PowerPoint, Autodesk AutoCAD, and C.
role-specific skills can raise the ceilingThe most valuable Electrical Engineering Technician skills are the ones connected to business-critical work, scarce tools, and hard-to-fill responsibilities. Pairing role-specific skills with advanced tools can make a candidate easier to price at the top of the salary range.

Remote vs Onsite vs Hybrid — Salary Comparison

Remote, onsite, and hybrid pay can shift the salary story for Electrical Engineering Technician jobs. Remote roles often widen the hiring market, while onsite roles may pay more in expensive metros when employers need local availability, team coverage, or specialized workplace access.

Work TypeAvg. BaseExperienceBenefitsFlexibility
Remote Electrical Engineering Technician$87,521.0Market dependentVariableHigh
Hybrid Electrical Engineering Technician$90,146.6Metro dependentStrongMedium
Onsite Electrical Engineering Technician$88,396.2Location dependentStrongLower

Hybrid roles can carry a small premium in high-cost cities, while fully remote roles can be especially powerful for workers outside the most expensive labor markets. The best comparison is total pay after location, taxes, commuting, and lifestyle costs.

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How to Become an Electrical Engineering Technician

The most common path into Electrical Engineering Technician work is to pair the expected baseline education with early hands-on practice and proof that you can handle the core responsibilities of the role. Candidates move faster when they can connect training, projects, internships, or prior adjacent work to the exact kinds of tasks employers hire electrical engineering technician professionals to do.

If you want the fuller step-by-step version, open the full How to Become an Electrical Engineering Technician guide.

Practical shortcutThe strongest early candidates for Electrical Engineering Technician jobs usually show job-relevant work samples, clear fundamentals, and evidence that they can contribute with limited supervision.
Knowledge areas employers associate with this roleComputers and Electronics, Engineering and Technology, English Language, and Design.

Electrical Engineering Technician Work Environment

Work environment can shape job fit just as much as salary. For Electrical Engineering Technician, the day-to-day experience may vary based on employer type, digital vs on-site workflows, collaboration intensity, schedule predictability, and how much independent judgment the role requires.

Common work-style signalsO*NET highlights Attention to Detail, Dependability, Cautiousness, and Intellectual Curiosity for Electrical Engineering Technician work.
E-Mail
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

Entry-Level Electrical Engineering Technician Salary Expectations

Entry-level Electrical Engineering Technician salary expectations should be viewed as a starting range, not a ceiling. New workers in this role often earn around $54,771.0, with pay rising as they build practical experience, stronger judgment, better tools, and a clearer track record of delivering work without close supervision.

Internship / Trainee
$26/hr
$41.1K - $63.0K annualized
Early practical exposure, supervised assignments, portfolio building, and conversion into a first full-time role.
New Grad / Junior
$54.8K
$54.8K - $68.7K base
First full-time Electrical Engineering Technician roles reward candidates who can show useful work, reliable fundamentals, and coachability.

Typical Promotion Timeline

Promotions usually follow the move from supervised work to independent delivery, then to broader ownership. Switching employers can sometimes accelerate salary growth when the current role has a narrow pay band.

StageTypical TimelineSalary JumpKey Milestone
Intern → JuniorInternship → first role$9.9K - $17.5KFirst full-time offer
Junior → Mid18-30 months$10.5K - $19.3KDeliver work independently
Mid → Senior2-4 years$12.9K - $23.7KOwn larger outcomes
Senior → Lead3-6 years$15.2K - $31.7KInfluence teams or strategy

Electrical Engineering Technician Career Progression & Salary Path

This step is useful because experience level and career progression are related, but not identical. The pay path below shows how compensation tends to widen as the work moves from narrower execution into broader ownership and leadership scope.

1
Intern / Trainee
$44.8K$60.2K
Electrical Engineering Technician compensation at this stage usually reflects broader responsibility, stronger judgment, and more independent ownership of outcomes.
2
Junior
$55.6K$73.3K
Electrical Engineering Technician compensation at this stage usually reflects broader responsibility, stronger judgment, and more independent ownership of outcomes.
3
Mid Level
$69.5K$86.4K
Electrical Engineering Technician compensation at this stage usually reflects broader responsibility, stronger judgment, and more independent ownership of outcomes.
4
Senior
$83.4K$108K
Electrical Engineering Technician compensation at this stage usually reflects broader responsibility, stronger judgment, and more independent ownership of outcomes.
5
Lead
$98.8K$125K
Electrical Engineering Technician compensation at this stage usually reflects broader responsibility, stronger judgment, and more independent ownership of outcomes.
6
Principal / Architect
$116K$158K
Electrical Engineering Technician compensation at this stage usually reflects broader responsibility, stronger judgment, and more independent ownership of outcomes.

Factors That Affect a Electrical Engineering Technician's Salary

A Electrical Engineering Technician salary is rarely determined by job title alone. Employers also price the role based on education, certifications, tools used, industry setting, workplace responsibility, and how difficult it is to find qualified candidates with the same mix of skills.

Years of Experience
Salary usually rises as the role moves from entry-level execution to independent ownership, mentoring, and broader decision-making.
Location and Cost of Living
Local salary ranges vary by labor market, employer density, and household-income context.
Industry
Industry pay can vary when employers in higher-margin or harder-to-staff sectors compete for the same occupation.
Specialized Skills
O*NET marks high-demand role-specific skills as relevant skills for this role, making them useful anchors for specialization and salary-growth content.

Electrical Engineering Technician Job Demand & Market Outlook

The Electrical Engineering Technician job outlook matters because demand affects hiring, salary growth, and how much leverage qualified workers have. The current projection points to 0.6% employment change from 2024 to 2034, which helps explain whether employers are likely to keep competing for qualified talent.

Salary is easier to interpret when it sits next to a demand signal. Strong wages in a shrinking field can tell a very different story from strong wages in a role where openings, replacement demand, and market expansion are all still active.

BLS Employment ProjectionEmployment is projected to change by 0.6% from 2024 to 2034.
Little or no changeAnnual openings: 8.4 thousand.
Metric2026 Status
Projected employment93.7k → 94.3k
Typical educationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related experiencePrevious work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Remote job availabilityMeaningful for roles with portable work and digital workflows
Salary market signalMedian pay of $87,521.0 suggests a solid compensation track.

How to Increase Your Electrical Engineering Technician Salary

The most reliable way to increase a Electrical Engineering Technician salary is to make your value easier for employers to measure. That usually means building stronger evidence around outcomes, expanding into higher-value skills, moving toward better-paying industries, and negotiating with current market salary data in hand.

StrategyAvg. Salary ImpactTimelineEffort Level
Benchmark against stronger markets+15-30%1-3 monthsHigh ROI
Build a visible specialization$10.5K - $24.5K3-9 monthsMedium
Target higher-paying industries$7.0K - $15.8K2-6 monthsMedium
The fastest salary liftFor many Electrical Engineering Technician professionals, the fastest path is a focused mix of stronger proof, higher-value skills, and better market selection. Salary gains usually come faster when candidates combine a clear portfolio with targeted applications and negotiation.

Electrical Engineering Technician vs Similar Career Salaries

Comparing Electrical Engineering Technician salary with Computer Hardware Engineer and other nearby careers helps show whether this job title is underpaid, fairly priced, or part of a stronger salary path. These comparisons are useful when choosing between roles, planning a career move, or deciding which skills to build next.

Computer Hardware Engineer
$155K
Related role
Above baseline
Petroleum Engineer
$141K
Related role
Above baseline
Aerospace Engineer
$135K
Related role
Above baseline
Electronic Engineer
$128K
Related role
Above baseline
Nuclear Engineer
$128K
Related role
Above baseline
Chemical Engineer
$122K
Related role
Above baseline
Energy Engineer
$118K
Related role
Above baseline
Electrical Engineer
$112K
Related role
Above baseline
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Frequently Asked Questions

These questions usually come up after readers compare the national salary, experience bands, and city differences. Together they clarify how to read the salary data and what to pay attention to when you compare this role with nearby careers.

What is the average Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technologists & Technicians salary?
The latest national baseline for Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technologists & Technicians is about $77,200 per year, based on the current BLS-derived salary facts in CareerClev.
What is the entry-level Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technologists & Technicians salary?
Entry-level estimates for Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technologists & Technicians are modeled around the lower BLS percentile range, currently about $48,300 per year nationally.
How much can senior Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technologists & Technicians professionals earn?
Senior Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technologists & Technicians estimates are modeled from upper percentile wage bands and currently sit around $94,800 per year nationally.
Does location affect Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technologists & Technicians salary?
Yes. CareerClev stores salary facts by national, state, and metro locations, so location-specific pages should use the closest available geography instead of a single national number.
Which skills matter for Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technologists & Technicians salary growth?
CareerClev uses O*NET skill importance and level scores to identify role-relevant skills. These are useful for recommendations, but should not be presented as measured salary premiums unless enriched compensation data exists.
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Data Sources & Methodology
Updated using 2024 BLS OEWS salary facts, O*NET occupation-skill data, Census location context where available, ILOSTAT country benchmarks where mapped, BLS Employment Projections where imported, and Stack Overflow Developer Survey enrichment for mapped tech roles.
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