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Electrical estimator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an electrical estimator. Electrical estimators usually study electrical engineering, electrical engineering technology, or business. 48% of electrical estimators hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 705 real electrical estimator resumes to see exactly what electrical estimator education sections show.

The most common colleges for electrical estimators are the Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and the Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

There are also many online electrical estimator courses to help get the education required to be an electrical estimator.

What education do you need to become an electrical estimator?

What degree do you need to be an electrical estimator?

The most common degree for electrical estimators is bachelor's degree, with 48% of electrical estimators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 48%
  • Associate, 26%
  • High School Diploma, 12%
  • Master's, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become an electrical estimator?

You should major in electrical engineering to become an electrical estimator. 28% of electrical estimators major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for an electrical estimator include electrical engineering technology and business.

Most common colleges for electrical estimators

Electrical estimators often get their degrees at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Pennsylvania State University, and University of Houston. Here are the most common colleges for electrical estimators in the US based on their resumes.
Electrical estimator common collegePercentages
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey8.33%
Pennsylvania State University6.25%
University of Houston6.25%
City College of New York of the City University of New York, The6.25%
Michigan State University6.25%

Best majors for electrical estimators

Best colleges for electrical estimators

The best colleges for electrical estimators are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.

An electrical estimator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for electrical estimators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become electrical estimators.

1. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

5. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

10. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

20 best online courses for electrical estimators

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1. Electric Power Systems

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This course familiarizes you with standards and policies of the electric utility industry, and provides you with basic vocabulary used in the business. It introduces the electric power system, from generation of the electricity all the way to the wall plug. You will learn about the segments of the system, and common components like power cables and transformers. This course is for individuals considering a career in the energy field (who have a high school diploma, at minimum, and basic...

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Learn how to estimate costs for any project, how to determine budget and how to use Earned Value Management tools. 3 PDU...

7. Electrical Power Engineering Principles

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Learn all the basic theories and principles of electrical engineering...

8. Electric Circuits for Electrical Engineering and Electronics

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13. Learn Estimating & Cost Control

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14. Electric Vehicle Battery Management System - Course

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16. Electrical Control & Protection Systems

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19. The Complete Electrical Power Control and Protection

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Your Complete Practical Guide in Electrical Control & Protection Systems for Stations , Substations & Distribution Zones...

20. Ultimate Electrical Design Course from Zero to Hero

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Learn everything about electrical low voltage distribution design without any previous knowledge for complete beginners...

Top 10 most affordable universities for electrical estimators

The most affordable schools for electrical estimators are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for electrical estimators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for electrical estimators.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

7. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

8. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

9. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for electrical estimators

The hardest universities for electrical estimators to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for electrical estimators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for electrical estimators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

5. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

10. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,380

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for electrical estimators

The easiest schools for electrical estimators to get into are Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus), gwynedd mercy university, and mount saint mary's university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an electrical estimator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for electrical estimators.

1. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)

Lemont Furnace, PA • Private

Admissions rate

80%

SAT average

1,067

2. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

3. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

4. Pennsylvania State University - Worthington Scranton

Dunmore, PA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

1,056

5. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

6. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

7. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

8. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois

DuBois, PA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,079

9. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

10. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

Average electrical estimator salary by education level

Electrical estimators with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $82,215 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, electrical estimators earn a median annual income of $76,149 compared to $71,153 for electrical estimators with an Associate degree.
Electrical estimator education levelElectrical estimator salary
Master's Degree$82,215
High School Diploma or Less$69,087
Bachelor's Degree$76,149
Some College/ Associate Degree$71,153

Electrical estimator education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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