Electrical Engineers Salary
In State College, PA, electrical engineers earn $97,450 at the median, or about $46.85 an hour. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $158K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.76), that's roughly $100,713 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,406/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $97K get you in State College?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by State College’s Regional Price Parity (96.76). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About electrical engineers
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What this looks like in State College
Pay for electrical engineers in State College runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $121K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,406/month, 22.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, State College can be a reasonable trade-off for electrical engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electrical engineers in metros near State College, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $128K | $125K |
| Pittsburgh | $105K | $111K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $112K | $112K |
| York-Hanover | $107K | $112K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, State College, PA
Entry-level electrical engineers (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $97K. Top earners bring in $158K or more, a $92K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Electrical Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $159K | +31% | 2,560 |
| California | $144K | +19% | 24,230 |
| District of Columbia | $143K | +19% | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $136K | +13% | 1,600 |
| Washington | $133K | +10% | 7,610 |
| Texas | $129K | +7% | 20,870 |
| Idaho | $129K | +7% | 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +6% | 5,040 |
| Delaware | $127K | +5% | 660 |
| Alaska | $126K | +4% | 350 |
| Alabama | $126K | +4% | 4,600 |
| New Jersey | $125K | +4% | 2,940 |
| Oregon | $125K | +4% | 2,540 |
| Maryland | $125K | +4% | 4,650 |
| Louisiana | $124K | +3% | 990 |
| Colorado | $121K | +0% | 4,200 |
| Virginia | $119K | -1% | 7,260 |
| New York | $119K | -1% | 8,770 |
| Missouri | $119K | -2% | 2,410 |
| Maine | $115K | -5% | 1,150 |
| West Virginia | $113K | -6% | 500 |
| Wyoming | $112K | -7% | 280 |
| Vermont | $111K | -8% | 820 |
| Pennsylvania | $111K | -8% | 6,970 |
| North Dakota | $111K | -8% | 260 |
| North Carolina | $110K | -9% | 7,090 |
| Minnesota | $110K | -9% | 3,150 |
| Illinois | $108K | -11% | 5,460 |
| Oklahoma | $108K | -11% | 2,080 |
| Nevada | $107K | -11% | 1,100 |
| Nebraska | $107K | -11% | 1,060 |
| Hawaii | $106K | -12% | 1,080 |
| Michigan | $106K | -12% | 10,840 |
| Iowa | $106K | -12% | 1,280 |
| Utah | $106K | -12% | 1,680 |
| Mississippi | $105K | -13% | 1,130 |
| Florida | $105K | -13% | 9,220 |
| Tennessee | $104K | -13% | 2,830 |
| Connecticut | $104K | -14% | 2,930 |
| Indiana | $103K | -15% | 4,000 |
| Kansas | $103K | -15% | 2,100 |
| Ohio | $101K | -17% | 6,360 |
| Arizona | $101K | -17% | 5,370 |
| Wisconsin | $100K | -17% | 3,550 |
| South Dakota | $99K | -18% | 530 |
| Kentucky | $99K | -18% | 1,540 |
| South Carolina | $98K | -18% | 3,490 |
| Arkansas | $97K | -20% | 900 |
| Montana | $87K | -28% | 790 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track electrical engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when State College numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in State College?
Yes — at the median salary of $97K, rent takes 22.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,406/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for electrical engineers in State College?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical engineers typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,989/month. At HUD’s $1,406/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is electrical engineer a high-paying job in State College?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $97K here vs. $121K nationally.
How does State College compare to the national average for electrical engineers?
State College pays $97K median vs. the U.S. average of $121K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — below the national median.
How much do electrical engineers make in State College, PA?
The median is $97,450 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,490, and experienced electrical engineers can clear $158,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $97K enough to live in State College?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,163/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,406/month, which eats 22.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electrical engineers salary go in State College?
State College has a Regional Price Parity of 96.76 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median electrical engineers salary is worth about $100,713 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.