# Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

US SOC code 17-2072. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/17-2072

Also called: Electronics engineer, Radio frequency engineer, Analog engineer, Mixed-signal engineer, Embedded electronics engineer.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **96,900** US electronics engineers (except computer), with median pay of **$130,220** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2021, the highest was **107,170**, in May 2021. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://ethw.org/Formation_of_IEEE_by_the_Merger_of_AIEE_and_IRE) of **30,000** from 1940, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for electronics engineers: Cloud EDA, model-based design, and AI-assisted DRC, 2015 to 2023.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-2072&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **51.5%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend.

## Electronics Engineers, Except Computer employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1912
- Latest US employment: 96,900 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [3]
- Latest US median pay: $130,220 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Outlook: +3.7% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [17]

### All 28 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1940 | 30,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Formation of IEEE by the Merger of AIEE… [1] |
| 1950 | 100,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Formation of IEEE by the Merger of AIEE… [1] |
| 1963 | 180,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Formation of IEEE by the Merger of AIEE… [1] |
| 1997 | n/a | $61,200 (estimate) | Est., BLS OEWS [4] |
| 2002 | 173,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Computerworld [2] |
| 2003 | 137,320 | $71,370 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [3] |
| 2004 | 135,560 | $75,770 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [3] |
| 2005 | 130,050 | $78,030 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [3] |
| 2006 | 131,880 | $81,050 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [3] |
| 2007 | 133,870 | $83,340 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [3] |
| 2008 | 139,930 | $86,370 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [3] |
| 2009 | 135,990 | $89,310 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [3] |
| 2010 | 133,660 | $90,170 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [3] |
| 2011 | 136,310 | $91,500 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [3] |
| 2012 | 134,960 | $91,820 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [3] |
| 2013 | 135,350 | $94,250 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [3] |
| 2014 | 133,990 | $95,790 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [3] |
| 2015 | 135,390 | $98,270 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [3] |
| 2016 | 132,100 | $99,210 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [3] |
| 2017 | 134,930 | $102,180 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [3] |
| 2018 | 134,110 | $102,700 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [3] |
| 2019 | 128,800 | $105,570 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [3] |
| 2020 | 122,320 | $107,540 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [3] |
| 2021 | 107,170 | $104,820 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [3] |
| 2022 | 106,640 | $108,170 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [3] |
| 2023 | 96,410 | $119,200 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [3] |
| 2024 | 93,940 | $127,590 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [3] |
| 2025 | 96,900 | $130,220 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [3] |

## Sources (81)

### Employment series

1. [Formation of IEEE by the Merger of AIEE and IRE — Engineering and Technology History Wiki (IRE membership 1940: 6,000)](https://ethw.org/Formation_of_IEEE_by_the_Merger_of_AIEE_and_IRE), Engineering and Technology History Wiki (ETHW)
2. [Computerworld — "What STEM shortage? Electrical engineering lost 35,000 jobs last year" (historical reference: 385,000 total EE+Electronics in 2002)](https://www.computerworld.com/article/1521149/what-stem-shortage-electrical-engineering-lost-35-000-jobs-last-year.html), Computerworld / IDG
3. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

4. [BLS OEWS — historical wage reference for electrical and electronics engineers, late 1990s (University of Missouri Libraries prices-and-wages guide, 1990s BLS data)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1990-1999), University of Missouri Libraries / BLS historical sources
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
6. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Tool eras

7. [History of electronic engineering — Wikipedia (vacuum tube era, IRE formation, WWII radar)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_electronic_engineering), Wikipedia
8. [Electronic Design — "1950s: Transistors Fill The Vacuum: The Digital Age Begins"](https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/defense/article/21772292/1950s-transistors-fill-the-vacuum-the-digital-age-begins), Electronic Design
9. [Computer History Museum — Silicon Engine: "1947: Invention of the Point-Contact Transistor"](https://www.computerhistory.org/siliconengine/invention-of-the-point-contact-transistor/), Computer History Museum
10. [Computer History Museum — Silicon Engine: "1959: Practical Monolithic Integrated Circuit Concept Patented" (Robert Noyce, Fairchild)](https://www.computerhistory.org/siliconengine/practical-monolithic-integrated-circuit-concept-patented/), Computer History Museum
11. [Chip History — "Integrated Circuit Invention and History 1958" (Jack Kilby, Texas Instruments)](https://www.chiphistory.org/integrated-circuit-invention-history-1958), ChipHistory.org
12. [Bloomberg Intelligence — AI could add $6 billion to EDA market through 2030, citing EDA industry history (Cadence/Mentor/Synopsys era origins)](https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/insights/artificial-intelligence/ai-could-add-6-billion-to-electronic-design-automation-market/), Bloomberg Intelligence
13. [Chip Insights Substack — "EDA Deep Dive Part 3: The AI Era" (Cadence, Synopsys, Siemens EDA history and AI transition)](https://chipinsights.net/p/eda-deep-dive-part-3-the-ai-era), Chip Insights
14. [Ansys — HFSS 2026 R1: GPU-accelerated solving and 17x faster radiation pattern simulation for 5G/6G antenna design (citing HFSS history)](https://aopds.com/whats-new-in-ansys-2026-r1/), Ansys / AOPDS
15. [Keysight — PathWave ADS with AI Engine: product history and current capabilities](https://www.keysight.com/us/en/products/software/pathwave-design-software/pathwave-advanced-design-system.html), Keysight Technologies
16. [Cadence — Allegro X AI: 10x PCB turnaround; three-day placement in 75 minutes (2023-2025)](https://resources.pcb.cadence.com/blog/2024-generative-ai-for-pcb-design-with-allegro-x-ai), Cadence Design Systems

### Forecasts and exposure studies

17. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 17-2072 Electronics engineers, except computer (2025: 98.2 thousand; 2035: 101.8 thousand; +3.7%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-2072&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
18. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 17-2072.00, human-rated β 0.515)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

19. [Formation of IEEE by the Merger of AIEE and IRE — Engineering and Technology History Wiki](https://ethw.org/Formation_of_IEEE_by_the_Merger_of_AIEE_and_IRE), Engineering and Technology History Wiki (ETHW)
20. [Wikipedia — Radiation Laboratory (MIT) (WWII radar program, 4,000 employees, 100+ radar systems)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_Laboratory_%28MIT%29), Wikipedia
21. [IEEE-USA Insight — "Your Engineering Heritage: Bell Labs and the Transistor" (1947 demonstration, 1956 Nobel Prize)](https://insight.ieeeusa.org/articles/your-engineering-heritage-bell-labs-and-the-transistor/), IEEE-USA
22. [Computer History Museum — Silicon Engine: "1959: Practical Monolithic Integrated Circuit Concept Patented" (Noyce patent)](https://www.computerhistory.org/siliconengine/practical-monolithic-integrated-circuit-concept-patented/), Computer History Museum
23. [Computerworld — "What STEM shortage? Electrical engineering lost 35,000 jobs last year" (2013, referencing 2002-2013 structural decline)](https://www.computerworld.com/article/1521149/what-stem-shortage-electrical-engineering-lost-35-000-jobs-last-year.html), Computerworld / IDG
24. [O\*NET 17-2072.00 — BLS OEWS May 2024 (median annual wage $127,590)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/17-2072.00), O\*NET / BLS

### Predecessors & successors

25. [Formation of IEEE by the Merger of AIEE and IRE (IRE founding 1912, radio engineering origins)](https://ethw.org/Formation_of_IEEE_by_the_Merger_of_AIEE_and_IRE), Engineering and Technology History Wiki
26. [History of electronic engineering — Wikipedia (electronics as distinct discipline from electrical engineering, circa 1960)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_electronic_engineering), Wikipedia
27. [BLS OOH — Electrical and Electronics Engineers (career paths and advancement)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Electronics Engineers, Except Computer (17-2072.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/17-2072.00), accessed 2026-05-23
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Electrical and Electronics Engineers (2024–2034, 5% growth)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Ansys — HFSS 2026 R1: GPU-accelerated solving and 17x faster radiation pattern simulation for 5G/6G antenna design](https://aopds.com/whats-new-in-ansys-2026-r1/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Ansys — 2025 R2 Engineering Copilot embedded in HFSS, Maxwell, Fluent, Discovery](https://aopds.com/whats-new-in-ansys-2025-r2/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Keysight — PathWave ADS AI and RF design automation (2025 product line)](https://www.keysight.com/us/en/products/software/pathwave-design-software/pathwave-advanced-design-system.html), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Cadence — Allegro X AI: 10x PCB turnaround reduction; three-day placement in 75 minutes (2023–2025)](https://resources.pcb.cadence.com/blog/2024-generative-ai-for-pcb-design-with-allegro-x-ai), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Cadence — Virtuoso Studio with Spectre AI for analog/mixed-signal simulation acceleration](https://www.cadence.com/en_US/home/tools/custom-ic-analog-rf-design/virtuoso-studio.html), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Altium — Altium 365 AI Copilot: component intelligence, schematic assistance, DRC guidance (2025)](https://www.altium.com/platform), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Bloomberg Intelligence — AI could add $6 billion to EDA market through 2030 (15–20%+ CAGR)](https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/insights/artificial-intelligence/ai-could-add-6-billion-to-electronic-design-automation-market/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [AI Changing Work — Will AI Replace Electrical Engineers? (62% theoretical vs. 25% observed exposure in regulated domains)](https://aichanging.work/en/blog/will-ai-replace-electrical-engineers), accessed 2026-05-23

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.