Electrical Engineer vs Teacher Salary
Electrical Engineers earn approximately 41.1% more than Teachers nationally — $107,000 vs $63,000.
Electrical Engineers earn approximately $44,000 more per year than Teachers — about 70% — 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; Teacher runs $47,330 to $104,670. Where you land inside that band depends far more on specialization, employer, and metro than on the job title.
Where each field is heading
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects Electrical Engineer employment to grow 9% over the decade to 2034 — growing faster than average — against a decline of 2% for Teacher.
Growth rate is not the same thing as opportunity. Electrical Engineer roles see roughly 22,700 openings a year and Teacher roles about 66,500, counting replacements for people who retire or leave. Teacher has the larger raw number, which is usually what you feel when actually job hunting — a small field growing fast can still be harder to break into than a large flat one.
A declining projection is not a reason to rule out Teacher work — declining occupations still hire, and replacement demand often exceeds what the growth rate suggests. It does mean competition tightens over time and geographic flexibility matters more, so it belongs in the decision rather than being ignored.
What the work is actually like
Electrical Engineer: Offices, electronics/power labs, and manufacturing test facilities. Teacher: Public or private school classroom, standard academic-year calendar.
Moving between the two
Crossing between Engineering and Education means rebuilding credentials and network from close to zero — the day-to-day skills do not carry, and neither does the résumé. Electronics and computer engineers overlap heavily and move between roles easily; power-systems specialists need additional training to shift into semiconductor or RF design. Career-changers can often enter via alternative certification programs while teaching on a provisional license, completing coursework nights/summers.
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. Teacher — Complete a bachelor's degree with a teacher-prep program, student-teach a semester, then pass state certification exams (e.g., Praxis) to get licensed.
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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Electrical Engineer salary by state — Teacher salary by state — Best cities for Electrical Engineer — Best cities for Teacher — Paycheck Calculator — Investment Calculator.