Electrical Engineering Program
Career Opportunities In Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering is a very broad discipline that addresses the design and understanding of devices, circuits, and systems that use electromagnetic waves in electronic or optical signals. This increasingly involves the use of computers, but focuses on the design and analysis of electronic/optical components and the signals that connect them. In contrast, the field of computer engineering focuses on computer hardware, while computer science looks at computer software and theory.
The rapid expansion of the high tech industry, especially in California, has provided a wealth of professional opportunities for electrical engineers. This is one of the fastest growing specialty areas of engineering, and a chronic shortage of qualified electrical engineers has kept salaries high relative to other professions. Projections indicate that the number of trained engineers will continue to fall short of demand.
A degree in electrical engineering provides great flexibility and can lead to a wide range of career paths. Electrical engineers are inventors, designers, business owners, consultants, teachers, researchers, scientists, executives, politicians, and astronauts. They are addressing many of the world’s most serious environmental and social challenges by developing new processes, more efficient resource use, and enhanced communication.