Electrical research engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an electrical research engineer. Electrical research engineers usually study electrical engineering, computer engineering, or electrical engineering technology. 68% of electrical research engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 173 real electrical research engineer resumes to see exactly what electrical research engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for electrical research engineers are the Northeastern University and the Northeastern University.

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

What education do you need to become an electrical research engineer?

What degree do you need to be an electrical research engineer?

The most common degree for electrical research engineers is bachelor's degree, with 68% of electrical research engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 10%.

Bachelor's, 68%

Master's, 18%

Associate, 10%

Doctorate, 4%

Other Degrees, 0%

What should I major in to become an electrical research engineer?

You should major in electrical engineering to become an electrical research engineer. 62% of electrical research engineers major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for an electrical research engineer include computer engineering and electrical engineering technology.

Electrical Engineering, 62%

Computer Engineering, 7%

Electrical Engineering Technology, 7%

Physics, 4%

Other Majors, 20%

Most common colleges for electrical research engineers

Electrical research engineers often get their degrees at Northeastern University, Michigan Technological University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Here are the most common colleges for electrical research engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Electrical research engineer common college	Percentages
Northeastern University	9.09%
Michigan Technological University	6.06%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	6.06%
West Virginia University	6.06%
University of Delaware	6.06%

Show more common electrical research engineer colleges

Best majors for electrical research engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Electrical Engineering	62.0%
2	Computer Engineering	6.6%
3	Electrical Engineering Technology	6.6%
4	Physics	3.6%
5	Electrical/Electronics Maintenance And Repair Technology	2.9%

Show more common electrical research engineer majors

Best colleges for electrical research engineers

The best colleges for electrical research engineers are Northeastern University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

An electrical research engineer 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 research engineers. 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 research engineers.

1. Michigan Technological University

Houghton, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,646

Enrollment

5,736

2. Wentworth Institute of Technology

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$33,950

Enrollment

4,254

3. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

7. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

9. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

10. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Enrollment

24,841

20 best online courses for electrical research engineers

Advertising disclosure

1. Electric Circuits for Electrical Engineering and Electronics

4.5

(593)

Start your career in electrical & electronics engineering by learning everything about electric circuits and electronics...

2. Electrical Control & Protection Systems

4.6

(1,763)

This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical substation...

3. Electricity for Electronics, Electrical Engineering A-Z 2023

4.5

(273)

Fundamentals of Electricity & Electric Circuits for Electronics - Circuit Design - Electrical Engineering...

4. AutoCAD Electrical for Electrical and Automation Engineers

4.2

(413)

Become proficient in Auto CAD Electrical quickly and showcase your skills...

5. The Complete Electrical Power Control and Protection

4.6

(519)

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

6. Control Systems Made Simple Beginner's Guide

4.4

(798)

Learn fundamentals of Mechanical & electrical system modeling, simulation and control with this unique practical course!...

7. Ultimate Electric Circuits Masterclass for Beginners

4.4

(478)

Learn electric circuits from scratch without any previous knowledge with dozens of examples in electrical engineering...

8. Electrical Control & Protection Part 4

4.5

(293)

This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical network...

9. Ultimate Electrical Machines for Electrical Engineering

4.7

(366)

Learn about different electrical machines such as DC, synchronous, and induction machines without any previous knowledge...

10. Autodesk AutoCAD Electrical for Electrical Designers

4.2

(589)

Basic and Intermediate...

11. Electrical Control & Protection Part 3

4.7

(435)

This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical network...

12. Construction Site Electrical System Design

4.6

(454)

Learn how to design a safe, flexible and durable electrical system for any construction site...

13. The Complete Electric Circuits Course

4.2

(263)

Learn the fundamentals of electrical and electronic engineering and then practice 100s of electric circuit problems...

14. Model a Car and Design a PID Controller in MATLAB/SIMULINK

4.3

(806)

Model and simulate an electric car (Tesla Model S) in MATLAB & SIMULINK and design your own PID speed controller...

15. MATLAB/Simulink - Simulink Course for Electrical Engineering

4.3

(744)

Learn basics of MATLAB Simulink to simulate different electric components in MATLAB Simulink for electrical engineering...

16. Electrical Power Engineering Principles

4.7

(1,112)

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

17. Electrical Schematics (Industrial Controls)

4.4

(1,274)

Learn to read, understand & design power & control circuits. Foundational course to learn electrical wiring drawings...

18. Electrical Control & Protection Systems part 2

4.7

(718)

This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical substation...

19. Electrical Power Distribution With,AutoCAD,Excel,DIALUX,Etap

4.3

(438)

A Practical Complete Guide for Designing Electrical Low Voltage Distribution Systems with Excel ,Dia LUX , Auto CAD & ETAP...

20. Ultimate Power Electronics and Electrical Protection Bundle

4.6

(656)

The largest and most comprehensive bundle on power electronics and electrical protection for electrical engineering...

Top 10 most affordable universities for electrical research engineers

The most affordable schools for electrical research engineers are California State University - Long Beach, suny farmingdale, and inter american university of puerto rico bayamon.

If the best universities for electrical research engineers 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 research engineers.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

6. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

8. West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Beckley, WV • Private

In-state tuition

$7,464

Cost of attendance

17,166

9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

10. National University College - Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$6,675

Cost of attendance

12,941

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for electrical research engineers

The hardest universities for electrical research engineers to get into are Northeastern University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for electrical research engineers 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 research engineers 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. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

4. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

5. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

7. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,517

8. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

9. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for electrical research engineers

The easiest schools for electrical research engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and pennsylvania state university - altoona.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an electrical research engineer 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 research engineers.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

3. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona

Altoona, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,094

4. Pennsylvania State University - Berks

Reading, PA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,107

5. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

6. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,068

7. Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

957

8. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

9. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

Average electrical research engineer salary by education level

According to our data, electrical research engineers with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $102,494 annually. Electrical research engineers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $93,469.

Electrical research engineer education level	Electrical research engineer salary
Master's Degree	$93,469
Bachelor's Degree	$83,847
Doctorate Degree	$102,494

Electrical research engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Electrical Research Engineers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

Search for electrical research engineer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse architecture and engineering jobs