Electrical Engineer Sr Salary in the United States

How much does an Electrical Engineer Sr make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Electrical Engineer Sr in the United States is $118,132 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $57.

However, an Electrical Engineer Sr's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $135,863
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $110,339 to $127,413
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $103,244

Key Factors That Influence Electrical Engineer Sr Salaries

An Electrical Engineer Sr's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Electrical Engineer Sr Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Electrical Engineer Sr's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $79,659
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $96,557
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $117,449
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $139,845
  • Expert (over 8 years): $162,227
Levels Salary
Electrica... Level Electrical Engineer Sr$79,659
Electrica... Level Electrical Engineer Sr$96,557
Electrica... Level Electrical Engineer Sr$117,449
Electrica... Level Electrical Engineer Sr$139,845
Electrica... Level Electrical Engineer Sr$162,227

How Do Electrical Engineer Sr Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Electrical Engineer Srs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $130,796.
  • California: $130,300.
  • Massachusetts: $128,563.

Top Paying Cities for Electrical Engineer Srs

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $149,000
  • San Francisco: $147,368
  • Oakland: $144,263

What Skills Can Increase an Electrical Engineer Sr's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 7.98% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Installation (Mentioned in 2.94% Job Postings): The action or process of installing someone or something, or of being installed. the act of installing the state of being installed, something that is installed for use.
  • CAD (Mentioned in 1.59% Job Postings): Computer-aided design is the use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 7.98%
Installation 2.94%
CAD 1.59%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Electrical Engineer Sr's salary.

  • Prototyping: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Circuit Design: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • PCB Design: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Prototyping $122,857
4%
Circuit Design $121,676
3%
PCB Design $121,676
3%

Electrical Engineer Sr Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Electrical Engineer Sr roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Healthcare sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Electrical Engineer Sr positions in Hospitality & Leisure or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Electrical Engineer Sr as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Electrical Engineer Sr

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$141,758$68.020%
Healthcare$135,852$65.015%
Biotechnology$129,945$62.010%
Insurance$129,945$62.010%
Pharmaceuticals$129,945$62.010%

How Education impacts an Electrical Engineer Sr's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Electrical Engineer Srs enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Electrical Engineer Sr with a Bachelor's Degree is between $112,142 and $117,402).

Electrical Engineer Sr Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Electrical Engineer Sr
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.1%
High School 0.3%
Associates 1.2%
Bachelors 43.2%
Masters 41.0%
Doctorate 14.2%

Electrical Engineer Sr Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Electrical Engineer Sr's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$110,339
Average $118,132/year
$127,413
$9,195
Average $9,844/month
$10,618
$2,122
Average $2,272/week
$2,450
$53
Average $57/hour
$61
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $127,413 $10,618 $2,450 $61
Average $118,132 $9,844 $2,272 $57
25th Percentile $110,339 $9,195 $2,122 $53

Most common benefits for Electrical Engineer Sr

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Electrical Engineer Sr

Here are companies hiring for Electrical Engineer Sr and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Electrical Engineer Sr

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Electrical Engineer Sr?

The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Electrical Engineer Sr roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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