What can you do with a Electrical Engineering degree from University of Illinois at Chicago?

First, some facts. Of the Electrical Engineering graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:


These are estimates based on AI analysis of 13 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 74%, Electrical Engineering graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago have a higher likelihood (+7%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 74%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

× Chart

Also, after graduating, only 7% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests a Bachelors degree is enough for most Electrical Engineering graduates, and it's normal to look for work straight after graduation.

See the details:

View a random Electrical Engineering graduate from University of Illinois at Chicago and our analysis:


Relevance score: 49%

We think this person has gone into a career only somewhat relevant to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2011 from University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Electrical Engineering. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Service Information Engineer
Volt
Apr 2012 - Mar 2015
The role of a Service Information Engineer may involve technical skills that somewhat overlap with electrical engineering, but it does not directly utilize core electrical engineering knowledge or skills on a daily basis.

Technical Representative
Caterpillar Inc.
Apr 2015 - Feb 2016
The Technical Representative role may require some technical understanding related to electrical engineering, but it does not primarily focus on engineering skills or knowledge.

Component Design Engineer
Caterpillar Inc.
May 2016 - Feb 2021
As a Component Design Engineer, this job directly applies the principles and knowledge of electrical engineering, requiring substantial use of skills acquired during the Bachelor's degree.

Founder of MySuiteSpot
MySuiteSpot
Aug 2019 - Present
The role of Founder at MySuiteSpot does not relate to the core skills or knowledge of electrical engineering and likely focuses on entrepreneurship and business management instead.

ABOUT

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What jobs can you get with a Electrical Engineering degree from University of Illinois at Chicago?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:


After looking through a variety of LinkedIn profiles of graduates from the University of Illinois at Chicago who earned their degrees in Electrical Engineering, it's clear that many of them have ventured into jobs that are either closely related to their field or are somewhat tangential. The most common roles seem to involve positions like Electrical Engineer, Applications Engineer, and Compliance Engineer, where these individuals are applying their engineering knowledge daily. These jobs usually involve designing, implementing, or testing electrical systems, and thus, they are highly relevant to the skills they gained during their studies.

On the flip side, there are also several graduates who have taken on roles that are not directly connected to Electrical Engineering. For example, positions like Patent Examiner or network-related jobs often focus on areas that don't require daily use of specific engineering principles. While some of these roles do benefit from the analytical and technical skills honed during their degree, they may not leverage the depth of electrical engineering knowledge that students invest time and effort in learning. Overall, while many graduates are finding work that aligns well with their major, a significant number are stepping into roles that diverge from core electrical engineering concepts, showcasing the diverse career paths available to them.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Electrical Engineering graduates (this is across all Electrical Engineering graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to University of Illinois at Chicago):

What kind of career trajectories do Electrical Engineering graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

When looking at the career trajectories of graduates from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Electrical Engineering, there's a pretty solid pattern that emerges. For many of the early-career positions—right after graduation—it seems like they typically start off in roles that are somewhat aligned with engineering but can vary a bit in terms of scope and relevance. For example, some initially take on more tech-support roles or internships, which aren't strictly engineering but still leverage their technical skills. As they accumulate experience, many transition into more engineering-focused jobs like electrical engineer or applications engineer within just a few years. You’ll often see them at well-known companies like Caterpillar and ComEd, which shows they're landing roles that make use of their degree.

Fast forward five to ten years down the line, and it looks like these alums are generally doing well. A significant number of them have moved into senior engineering positions or specialized roles, which indicates a solid career progression. While a few people have ventured into less traditional paths, the majority seem to remain in engineering, often climbing the ranks and taking on more responsibility. For many graduates, it appears that their education has effectively paved the way for successful and relevant careers in Electrical Engineering, providing a solid foundation for both immediate and long-term opportunities in the field. Overall, if you're an aspiring engineer, this track record is pretty reassuring!

How hard is a Electrical Engineering degree from University of Illinois at Chicago?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago, or really anywhere, can be pretty challenging! It's a solid mix of math, physics, and all sorts of technical stuff that can be pretty tough to wrap your head around. You’ll be diving into topics like circuits, signals, and systems, and the workload can definitely feel heavy with labs and projects on top of the theory. That said, if you're into the subject and enjoy problem-solving, it might not feel impossible, but it’s definitely more demanding than many other degrees. So, be ready to put in some serious time and effort!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering.

Do Electrical Engineering graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago tend to make good money?

From looking at the job histories of these Electrical Engineering graduates from UIC, it seems like most of them have been able to carve out decent career paths that usually come with a pretty good paycheck, especially as they move up the ladder. Those who started out in solid companies like Motorola, Caterpillar, and ComEd often transitioned into positions that indicate a healthy salary, particularly for engineers. The folks who’ve held roles such as Systems Engineer, Component Design Engineer, and Senior Engineer generally suggest they’re making a comfortable living, and even those just starting out seem to be on track for good earnings as they gain experience. Of course, some of the early jobs, like retail or internships, might not have paid as well, but overall, it looks like they're in good shape financially as they've progressed in their careers.

What buzzwords do Electrical Engineering graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering (this is across all Electrical Engineering graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to University of Illinois at Chicago). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Electrical Engineering?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering (ordered by the average relevance score of their Electrical Engineering graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College Score Count
Virginia Tech 94 10
University of South Florida 90 10
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 90 16
Texas A&M University 89 29
Brigham Young University 89 14
Georgia Institute of Technology 89 13
Rochester Institute of Technology 89 13
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology 89 19
Missouri University of Science and Technology 88 10
University of Massachusetts Lowell 86 11
Penn State University 85 34
San Jose State University 85 12
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 85 19
The University of Texas at Austin 84 13
North Carolina State University 84 13
The University of Texas at Dallas 84 19
University of Central Florida 83 17
Purdue University 83 33
University at Buffalo 83 15
Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani 81 13
PES University 81 12
University of California, Davis 80 15
The University of Texas at Arlington 80 13
University of Washington 79 20
Sharif University of Technology 79 10
University of California, Los Angeles 77 10
Arizona State University 75 25
Clemson University 75 13
University of Illinois at Chicago 74 13
ECPI University 74 11
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 71 16
Florida International University 70 10
Temple University 70 11
The Ohio State University 69 10
KL University 68 15
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo 67 10
SRM University 66 20
Vellore Institute of Technology 66 26
Sreenidhi Institute of Science and Technology 66 10
Anna University 65 27
DeVry University 64 12
Visvesvaraya Technological University 64 30
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada 63 16
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University 60 50
University of Mumbai 54 17
JNTUH College of Engineering Hyderabad 48 22