Electrical Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer Salary
Electrical Engineers earn approximately 10.3% more than Mechanical Engineers nationally — $107,000 vs $96,000.
Electrical Engineers earn approximately $11,000 more per year than Mechanical Engineers — about 11% — with comparable entry requirements.
Pay range, not just the median
The medians hide most of what matters. Electrical Engineer pay runs from roughly $66,000 at the low end to $152,000 at the high end; Mechanical Engineer runs $62,000 to $136,000. Position within the range is driven by what you specialize in and who you work for, not by the title on the offer.
What the work is actually like
Electrical Engineer: Offices, electronics/power labs, and manufacturing test facilities. Mechanical Engineer: Offices, manufacturing plants, and test/prototype labs.
Moving between the two
Both sit in Engineering, so the surrounding context transfers even where the day-to-day does not: similar employers, similar hiring cycles, overlapping professional networks. Electronics and computer engineers overlap heavily and move between roles easily; power-systems specialists need additional training to shift into semiconductor or RF design. Aerospace, automotive, and industrial-machinery mechanical engineers cross over with minimal retraining; PE licensure is needed only for consulting or public infrastructure work.
If you are entering rather than switching: Electrical Engineer — Earn an ABET-accredited bachelor's in electrical engineering, complete internships/co-ops, then enter industry — PE licensure only needed for public utility or consulting work. Mechanical Engineer — Earn an ABET-accredited bachelor's in mechanical engineering, complete internships/co-ops, then enter industry directly — most private-sector roles don't require a PE license.
Pay ranges, education requirements, and employment projections come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. See our methodology for how these are compiled and updated.
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