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Electrical Engineer - Federal Salaries of 2021

Pay Rates for "Electrical Engineer"

How much does an Electrical Engineer in the federal government get paid? $122,819.20* *Based on the 2021 average.
1,573 EMPLOYEES
$192.46M TOTAL SALARY
GS MOST COMMON PAYSCALE

Electrical Engineer was the 131st most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2021, with 1,573 employed. The most common payscale was the general schedule payscale.

In 2021, the Department of Energy hired the most employees titled Electrical Engineering, with an average salary of $125,883.

Government Electrical Engineering jobs are classified under the General Schedule (GS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Electrical Engineering job is GS-6, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is GS-15. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.

Job Description

Electrical Engineers are experts in the practical application of electricity. They specialize in the design, creation, and servicing of electrical systems. As there are so many things that require electricity, Electrical Engineers are found in so many industries. In the Federal Government, Electrical Engineers are engaged to provide professional engineering services concerning various fields such as power generation, energy management, radar and navigation systems, communication systems, alarm systems, lighting and wiring, and electrical equipment processes. They also hold positions responsible for managing and coordinating activities in relation to operating and maintaining electrical systems. They serve in varied agencies in the government such as the Department of Energy, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, the US Coast Guard, Federal Aviation Administration, US Army Corps of Engineers, and Department of the Air Force among others.

Electrical Engineers working in the Department of Energy provide overall authoritative leadership and direction to innovative engineering efforts geared towards developing new or expanded use of energy resources and conserving the environment. They also provide guidance on the effects of energy production and usage on the economy. They also serve as specialists in the design, testing, operation and management of transmission equipment and bulk power systems. They assess and provide expert advice on transmission system performance based on established standards of reliability. They develop both short-term and long-term plans for the government indicating resource requirements, technical considerations, and engineering costs. They coordinate and collaborate with other engineers and scientists in the Department to ensure an appropriate balance between cost and performance as well as ensure the safety of workers, the environment and the public.

Electrical Engineers in the government who work with construction projects are responsible for drafting designs and specifications of needed electrical systems and equipment. They are engaged in works involving interior lighting and power as in buildings and structures, as well as exterior lighting as in streets, floodlights, airfield navigational lighting. They also design and install both overhead and underground electrical distribution systems. They work with other engineers in the electrical installation of dams, bridges, tunnels, railways, and other civil works. Electrical Engineers also work in projects involving cathodic protection systems. They oversee and perform installations of anodes, rectifiers and wiring systems to ensure against pipeline corrosions. Other government projects that Electrical Engineers work on involve wireless communications and signal processing circuits, and intrusion prevention and detection systems.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an overall growth of 7% in the employment rate of this occupation from 2020 - 2030. The demand for Electrical Engineers stems from continuous innovations in technology, as well as the need to replace workers leaving the workforce, as in the case of retirees. Those in the Federal Government earned an annual average salary of $120,716.63 in 2020. They typically receive promotions in 2 grade increases at a time until they reach GS-12. Entry-level positions typically require a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a related engineering field. A Professional Engineer (PE) license can be acquired for career advancement, such as to hold higher level positions.

Agencies that have hired an Electrical Engineer

Agency Employees Hired Average Salary
Department of Energy 516 $125,883.05
Bureau of Reclamation 146 $110,040.47
John Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field 144 $113,331.38
Federal Aviation Administration 143 $104,831.55
U.S. Coast Guard 70 $114,885.70
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 65 $160,983.11
John F. Kennedy Space Center 47 $119,315.26
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center 46 $127,017.28
Goddard Space Flight Center 36 $140,763.58
National Institute of Standards and Technology 34 $138,208.32
Public Buildings Service 32 $114,747.00
George C. Marshall Space Flight Center 27 $126,701.22
Food and Drug Administration 25 $141,872.76
Nuclear Regulatory Commission 21 $152,799.86
Mine Safety and Health Administration 21 $94,718.48
John C. Stennis Space Center 21 $112,378.38
National Institutes of Health 20 $133,376.00
Rural Housing Service 17 $118,439.59
Department of State 17 $155,379.06
Office of the Secretary (Department of Veterans Affairs) 10 $119,462.80
Veterans Health Administration 10 $109,731.78
Consumer Product Safety Commission 9 $133,725.44
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 9 $112,708.89
Langley Research Center 8 $115,075.25
Ames Research Center 6 $152,923.17
Dryden Flight Research Center 5 $110,290.20
Environmental Protection Agency 5 $109,468.40
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives 5 $125,304.50
Federal Bureau of Investigation 5 $155,421.00
Indian Affairs 5 $121,292.40
Bureau of Engraving and Printing 5 $152,185.60
Smithsonian Institution (Exchange Sep Boards of Trust) 5 $140,124.40
Internal Revenue Service 4 $108,572.75
Forest Service 3 $113,294.33
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 3 $142,380.67
Occupational Safety and Health Administration 3 $129,290.67
Federal Emergency Management Agency 3 $113,450.67
National Park Service 3 $101,155.00
Departmental Administration 2 $159,652.00
Social Security Administration 2 $129,763.00
Office of the Secretary (Department of Commerce) 1 $120,115.00
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 1 $136,298.00
Science and Technology Directorate 1 $131,315.00
Indian Health Service 1 $84,838.00
International Boundary & Water Commission: U.S. & Mexico 1 $85,238.00
Federal Acquisition Service 1 $135,048.00
National Science Foundation 1 $193,190.00
Government Printing Office 1 $124,428.00
Export-Import Bank of the United States 1 $160,536.00
Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System 1 $134,798.00
U.S. Mint 1 $146,950.00
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 1 $127,885.00
Office of Secretary of Transportation 1 $159,286.00
National Transportation Safety Board 1 $159,286.00
National Gallery of Art 1 $109,738.00

Electrical Engineer Pay Distribution

The average pay for an Electrical Engineer is $122,819.20. The highest paid Electrical Engineer made $233,462 in 2021.

Common Electrical Engineer Payscales

Payscale Number of Electrical Engineering Employees
GS - General Schedule 1,323
FV - Federal Aviation Administration Core Compensation Plan 143
ZP - Scientific And Engineering Professional 38
GG - Grades Similar To General Schedule 21
AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not Elsewhere Specified 16
RG - Scientists Appointed As Fellows And Compensated Under 42 U.s.c. 209(g). Includes Non-citizens Whose Employment 11
ES - Senior Executive Service 8
SL - Senior Level Positions 3
EI - Advisory Committee Member (other) 2
RF - Employees Appointed And Compensated As Special Consultants Under 42 U.s.c. 209(f). Includes Non-citizens Whose 2
EJ - The Department Of Energy Organization Act Excepted Service 1
RS - Senior Biomedical Research Service 1
IC - Employees Holding Incident Management Cadre Of On-call Response/recovery Employees(core)positions 1
PG - Printing Office Grades 1
ST - Scientific And Professional 1
SN - Senior Level System 1

Starting Paygrade: $36,070.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-6, Step 1
Maximum Paygrade: $152,771.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-15, Step 10
Category: Professional and Scientific
Occupation Family: 0800 ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE GROUP

Other Jobs at the GS-6 Paygrade

GS-6 is the starting paygrade for Electrical Engineering jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the GS-6 paygrade.

Occupation Occupation Category Starting Paygrade Maximum Paygrade
HydrologyProfessional and ScientificGS-6GS-15
Mathematical StatisticsProfessional and ScientificGS-6GS-15
Language ClericalClerical and Administrative SupportGS-1GS-9
Import ComplianceAdministrative and ManagementGS-4GS-15
Construction Control TechnicalTechnical and Medical SupportGS-1GS-9

Average Electrical Engineering Pay Trend from 2004 to 2021

In 2004, the average pay for an Electrical Engineer was $87,789. Since then, the average pay has increased to $122,819 in 2021.


Data Sources

The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.

Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.

The series code of this occupation is 0850.

** This Document Provided By www.FederalPay.org - The Civil Employee's Resource **
Source: www.federalpay.org/employees/occupations/electrical-engineering