# What can you do with an Electrical Engineering degree?

> Source: https://coursetojob.co.uk/courses/electrical-engineering/ — updated 2026-09-25. Published by CourseToJob (independent; not affiliated with UCAS, HESA or GOV.UK).

**Quick answer:** An Electrical Engineering degree commonly leads to roles such as graduate electrical engineer, design engineer (entry) and test engineer. Five years after graduating, Electrical Engineering graduates had median earnings of £44,600 (middle half: £33,300–£56,400), and 89.4% were in sustained work or further study (DfE LEO, 2023–24 tax year). The largest employer sector for Engineering graduates is professional, scientific and technical services (26.4% of those in work).

Electrical engineering covers circuits, power, and control. Accredited programmes can support later professional registration. Official figures appear when an extract is loaded.

## What jobs can you get with an Electrical Engineering degree?

- **Graduate electrical engineer**: Supports design or site teams with drawings, calculations, and commissioning checklists. Skills often asked for: schematics, protection notes, test plans.
- **Design engineer (entry)**. Skills often asked for: CAD electrical, cable schedules, reviews.
- **Test engineer**. Skills often asked for: fixtures, pass/fail logs, root-cause notes.
- **Controls engineer (entry)**. Skills often asked for: PLC basics, I/O lists, fault logs.

## Where do Electrical Engineering graduates work?

Engineering graduates in UK employment five years after graduating, by industry (DfE LEO industry data, tax year 2023–24; shares calculated by CourseToJob from DfE's rounded counts).

| Industry | Share of graduates in work | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 26.4% | £44,300 |
| Manufacturing | 24.3% | £45,800 |
| Information and communication | 9.6% | £48,300 |
| Construction | 5.8% | £48,700 |
| Wholesale and retail | 5.7% | £37,000 |
| Administrative and support services | 4.2% | £39,500 |
| Public administration and defence | 4.1% | £44,300 |
| Finance and insurance | 3.8% | £65,900 |

## How much do Electrical Engineering graduates earn?

UK-domiciled first-degree graduates in Electrical and electronic engineering (CAH10-01-08). Source: DfE LEO CAH level 3 subject data, tax year 2023–24 (https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/d8bc2906-419e-40ef-ad8e-9b2ccd3997dc). Each row is a different graduating cohort.

| Years after graduating | Graduated | Median earnings | Middle half | In work or further study | All-graduate median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021/2022 | £33,700 | £28,200–£41,700 | 89.6% | £26,400 |
| 3 | 2019/2020 | £40,600 | £31,800–£50,500 | 90.4% | £30,000 |
| 5 | 2017/2018 | £44,600 | £33,300–£56,400 | 89.4% | £33,700 |
| 10 | 2012/2013 | £49,800 | £33,700–£68,100 | 85.1% | — |

## Which universities have the highest-earning Engineering graduates?

Median earnings five years after graduating, universities with at least 50 graduates measured (DfE LEO provider-level data, 2023–24). Not a quality ranking.

| University | Median earnings | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| [University of Oxford](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-oxford/) | £73,600 | 95 |
| [University of Cambridge](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-cambridge/) | £64,400 | 230 |
| [Imperial College London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/imperial-college-london/) | £56,400 | 225 |
| [University College London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/ucl/) | £55,300 | 175 |
| [Durham University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/durham-university/) | £54,000 | 130 |
| [Open University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/open-university/) | £52,300 | 335 |
| [Wrexham University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/wrexham-university/) | £51,200 | 55 |
| [University of Bath](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-bath/) | £50,500 | 350 |
| [University of Warwick](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-warwick/) | £50,100 | 240 |
| [University of Bristol](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-bristol/) | £49,800 | 280 |

## Is Electrical Engineering the right degree for you?

You may enjoy it if:
- You like circuits, signals, and making hardware behave.
- You are willing to learn both theory and workshop practice.
- You enjoy fault-finding with a method.

It may not suit you if:
- You wanted a software-only computing course.
- You dislike mathematics and lab reports.
- You expected no health-and-safety rules around live equipment.

## Interview questions for Electrical Engineering graduate roles

Graduate electrical, test and controls interviews usually test safe isolation, drawings, and a simple circuit explanation. These prompts are editorial illustrations.

- Walk us through how you would isolate a circuit before testing. (What it tests: Safe isolation as a habit, not a slogan.)
- A drawing shows one cable size and the store has another. What next? (What it tests: You query; you do not substitute on a hunch.)
- Explain what a protection device is doing in a simple circuit. (What it tests: Physical understanding, not a catalogue number.)
- Test results are within spec but trending towards a limit. What do you report? (What it tests: You flag the trend; you do not wait for a fail.)
- How would you write a handover note for a panel you have just commissioned? (What it tests: What was done, what is outstanding, and what is live.)

## Frequently asked questions

### What jobs can you do with an Electrical Engineering degree?

Common starting roles include graduate electrical engineer, design engineer (entry), test engineer and controls engineer (entry). Five years after graduating, the most common sectors for Engineering graduates in work were professional, scientific and technical services (26.4%), manufacturing (24.3%) and information and communication (9.6%). These are examples, not guaranteed jobs: your experience, location and further training matter.

### How much do Electrical Engineering graduates earn in the UK?

DfE Longitudinal Education Outcomes data for the 2023–24 tax year shows median earnings for UK-domiciled Electrical Engineering graduates of £33,700 one year after graduating, £40,600 three years after graduating, £44,600 five years after graduating and £49,800 ten years after graduating. Each figure describes a different graduating cohort, not one person's pay rise, and it is gross pay for those in sustained employment, not a starting salary offer.

### Is an Electrical Engineering degree worth it?

It depends on what you want to do. On the official data, 89.4% of Electrical Engineering graduates were in sustained employment or further study five years after graduating, with median earnings of £44,600. For comparison, the median across all first-degree graduates of GB higher education institutions was £33,700 at the same point. That places Electrical Engineering 15 of 146 subject groups by five-year median earnings. Earnings are only one factor: enjoyment of the subject, accreditation and the route into your target job matter too.

### Which universities have the highest-earning Engineering graduates?

Among universities in our index with at least 50 graduates measured, the highest five-year median earnings for Engineering were at University of Oxford (£73,600), University of Cambridge (£64,400) and Imperial College London (£56,400). These figures reflect entry grades, subject mix and where graduates work, so they are not a measure of teaching quality.

### Can international students study Electrical Engineering in the UK?

Yes, most UK universities accept international applicants, but entry requirements, recognised qualifications, English-language evidence and overseas tuition fees depend on the university and programme. Check the university course page and international admissions team, then check visa requirements on GOV.UK.


Apply for undergraduate courses on UCAS: https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/courses?query=Electrical%20Engineering