Starting a career as an electrical engineer requires a degree in the field. In Washington, there are 26 schools with electrical engineering programs. Associate’s degrees are available at 17 of these schools and Bachelor’s degrees are available at 16 schools. Master’s degree programs are available at eight schools and there are six schools with PhD programs.
As an electrical engineering student, you have to decide which degree you would like to earn. An Associate’s degree only takes two years, which it is ideal if you want to decide if electrical engineering is the right path for you. A Bachelor’s degree is one of the most popular programs, because you need a Bachelor’s degree to become licensed by the state.
Many schools allow you to transfer your Associate’s degree credits to a Bachelor’s program. Some of the classes you may take as an undergraduate student include Electronic Circuits, Communication Systems, and Fundamentals of Power Systems. Generally speaking, you need four years of full-time study to earn a Bachelor’s degree.
A Master’s degree or PhD can help you advance your career or even give you new career opportunities. A Master’s degree generally takes two years to complete, and you take classes like Feedback Control Design and Quantum Transport. A PhD usually takes between five and seven years.
In Washington, the average cost of tuition is $14,800. You may pay less if you attend a public school or two-year school, as of these types of schools tend to have very low tuition costs.
You can also save money by applying for Washington scholarships. The Washington Society of Professional Engineers awards scholarships to local engineering students. The Washington State Opportunity Scholarship provides scholarships for Washington students in a variety of fields, including engineering.
To be able to work as an engineer in Washington, you must earn your license from the Washington State Department of Licensing. The first step is taking the Fundamentals of Engineering exam. After the Department of Licensing verifies your test scores and your educational credentials, they will send you your license in the mail.