Bright outlook
Management
Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Median pay
- $171,270
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
CIP14.10
387 colleges offer Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 387
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $98,953
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $21,000
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 20
- Associate's
- 64
- Bachelor's
- 387
- Master's
- 238
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 4
- Doctoral
- 152
- First professional
- 2
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 67
What it covers
About Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering is part of Engineering: instructional programs that prepare individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the solution of practical problems.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 14.10.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 14.10.
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering
- Laser and Optical Engineering
- Telecommunications Engineering
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 20 | $59,1484 yrs after · 1 college | $9,5001 college |
| Associate's | 64 | $56,7694 yrs after · 2 colleges | $18,3601 college |
| Bachelor's | 387 | $98,9534 yrs after · 245 colleges | $21,000195 colleges |
| Master's | 238 | $135,8524 yrs after · 59 colleges | $26,16219 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 152 | $222,9934 yrs after · 2 colleges | Not reported |
| First professional | 2 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 67 | $138,0184 yrs after · 1 college | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofit · 192 graduates
$250,168
debt $19,500
- 2
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · Public · 510 graduates
$200,543
debt $13,548
- 3
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofit · 71 graduates
$161,118
debt $15,000
- 4
Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofit · 77 graduates
$147,241
debt $12,750
- 5
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · Public · 312 graduates
$146,003
debt $18,118
- 6
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 24 graduates
$143,332
debt not reported
- 7
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 34 graduates
$139,068
debt not reported
- 8
Houston, TX · Private nonprofit · 20 graduates
$136,656
debt not reported
- 9
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · Public · 146 graduates
$126,209
debt $14,580
- 10
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · Public · 76 graduates
$125,240
debt $20,315
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
- Bright outlook
Management
Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
- Median pay
- $171,270
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Complex Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Bright outlook
Architecture and engineering
Computer Hardware Engineers
- Median pay
- $161,740
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Bright outlook
Architecture and engineering
Aerospace Engineers
- Median pay
- $134,960
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem Solving
Architecture and engineering
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- Median pay
- $130,220
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Complex Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
Architecture and engineering
Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists
- Median pay
- $130,220
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
Architecture and engineering
Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Active Listening
Architecture and engineering
Engineers, All Other
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
More in Engineering
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this areaQuestions about Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
How many colleges offer Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering at these degree levels: certificate (20 colleges), associate's (64 colleges), bachelor's (387 colleges), master's (238 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (4 colleges), doctoral (152 colleges), first professional (2 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (67 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering earn $98,953 a year four years after finishing, across 245 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering graduates earn the most?
Carnegie Mellon University reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering: $250,168 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.