Black Intelligentsia Libraries
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Electrical Engineer
Do you ever wonder why so many power lines look very old and worn down?  Ever wonder why power outages last so long?  Or do you even aspire to invent the next great means of electrical energy conversion or transmission?  If your answer is yes to any or all of these questions, then Electrical Engineering may be the career for you.

Electrical Engineers research, design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, and systems for commercial, industrial, military, and scientific use.  Practical applications include the development of lighting, wiring systems, electric motors, radar and navigation systems, utilities, communications systems, and power generation equipment and the design of electrical systems for automobiles and aircraft.  Those who focus on the field of electronics might design communications systems or develop new tech gadgets, while others specialize in areas such as power systems, equipment manufacturing, or building design.

Duties include but are not limited to:  designing new ways to use electrical power to develop or improve products; performing detailed calculations to compute manufacturing, construction, and installation standards and specifications; and directing manufacturing, installing, and testing to ensure that the product as built meets specifications and codes.

High school students interested in studying Electrical Engineering benefit from taking courses in Physics, Computer Science, Drafting, and Mathematics—Algebra, Trigonometry, and Calculus.  Students entering Electrical Engineering Bachelor's of Science programs from high school with no previous Electrical Engineering training should expect a period 4 to 5 years to complete said program and should expect an extra year if adding Computer Engineering as the second of a double-major.  A Professional Engineer's license (or PE) is required for those who wish to someday establish their own Electrical Engineering consulting firm and to provide services directly to the public.  In most states, continuing education is required to maintain Electrical Engineering licensure.  Graduate education is needed for many research and development positions.

Because electricity is and seemingly will always be our chief means of power and power transfer, there will always be a high demand for competent Electrical Engineers.  And with advances in solar, wind, and water-hydroelectric (green energy) technologies, that demand for Electrical Engineers is on the rise.
Job Description
Median Salary & Range
​Median Salary:  $85,920

Salary Range:  ~$54,710 - $131,660+
College Majors & Attainment Routes
The more prevalent routes to becoming an Electrical Engineer have been to major in either Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, or even Engineering Mathematics or Applied Mathematics, for many of their concepts, theories, and principles coincide.  However, many Electrical and Electronics Engineering students have been known to add Computer Engineering as the second of a double-major.
Colleges That Provide Above Majors
​Colleges and universities that have the Electrical Engineering major are:  Alabama A&M University (Normal, Alabama); North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, North Carolina); Howard University (Washington, DC); Tennessee State University (Nashville, Tennessee); Hampton University (Hampton, Virginia); Morgan State University (Baltimore, Maryland); Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Texas); Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Alabama); Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Florida); Norfolk State University (Norfolk, Virginia); Benedict College (Columbia, South Carolina); University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Princess Anne, Maryland); Xavier University (New Orleans, Louisiana); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, DC); Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, Louisiana); Wilberforce University (Wilberforce, Ohio); Savannah State University (Savannah, Georgia); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); Edward Waters College (Jacksonville, Florida); Oakwood University (Huntsville, Alabama); Florida Memorial University (Miami Gardens, Florida); Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia); Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia); Bennett College (Greensboro, North Carolina); Lincoln University (Lincoln University, Pennsylvania); and Saint Augustine's University (Raleigh, North Carolina).
Available Scholarships