Electrical Engineering in Ohio

📊 Employment Overview

Ohio employs 6,650 electrical engineering professionals, representing approximately 3.5% of the national workforce in this field. Ohio ranks #7 nationally for electrical engineering employment.

💰 Salary Information

Electrical Engineering professionals in Ohio earn competitive salaries across all experience levels, with an average annual salary of $108,000.

Note: Salaries are adjusted for cost of living and local market conditions. Data based on BLS statistics and industry surveys (2024-2025).

🎓 Schools Offering Electrical Engineering

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🚀 Career Insights

Key information for electrical engineering professionals in Ohio.

🏢 Industry Landscape & Top Employers

Ohio ranks #7 nationally in electrical engineering employment — 6,650 engineers earning an average of $108,000 — and represents one of the most industrially diverse and economically significant EE markets in the Midwest. From the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB to GE Aerospace's propulsion electronics, Intel's massive new semiconductor fabs, Parker Hannifin's motion control systems, and Battelle's defense research, Ohio's EE community works across defense, aerospace, industrial automation, and semiconductor manufacturing at the highest level of technical ambition.

Major Employers: GE Aerospace (Cincinnati suburb, Evendale) is Ohio's most iconic EE employer — the company's aviation business, including CFM International (a GE/Safran joint venture producing the world's best-selling commercial jet engines), employs hundreds of EEs for engine control systems (FADEC), fuel management electronics, health monitoring systems, and avionics integration. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (Dayton) hosts the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) — one of the most important technology development organizations in the US military — and Air Force Materiel Command headquarters, employing EEs for advanced aircraft systems, materials research electronics, and classified programs. Northrop Grumman (Beavercreek, near WPAFB) and L3Harris (multiple Ohio locations) provide defense electronics contractor employment. Battelle Memorial Institute (Columbus) is the world's largest independent research and development organization, developing biomedical diagnostics, defense systems, energy technology, and national security technology for government and private clients. Parker Hannifin (Cleveland) develops motion control and power management systems for aerospace, industrial, and medical applications — employing EEs for electronic controller design and power electronics. Eaton Corporation (Cleveland) develops power management technology — voltage regulators, switchgear, circuit breakers — employing EEs for product development and power systems applications. Intel's New Albany semiconductor fabs (Columbus area) represent a $20 billion investment — among the largest in US manufacturing history — that will transform Ohio into a major chip manufacturing state when fully operational. FirstEnergy (Akron), AEP (Columbus), and Duke Energy Ohio employ power systems engineers for the state's extensive utility infrastructure.

Intel New Albany — A Transformative Investment: Intel's announcement of two leading-edge semiconductor fabs in New Albany (east of Columbus), with commitments to potentially eight fabs over the coming decade, represents the largest manufacturing investment in Ohio history. When operational, these facilities will employ thousands of EEs in process engineering, equipment engineering, and yield optimization — dramatically expanding Ohio's semiconductor engineering community beyond its historical Dayton aerospace concentration.

📈 Career Growth & Pathways

Ohio's EE career landscape offers exceptional breadth — from jet engine control systems at GE Aerospace to directed energy research at AFRL, from semiconductor process engineering at Intel to power management at Eaton — creating career mobility across disciplines and sectors within a single state.

Typical Career Trajectory:

• Junior Electrical Engineer (0–2 years): $72,000–$95,000 — Entry at GE Aerospace, WPAFB contractors, Battelle, Parker Hannifin, or the utility sector. Ohio State University, Case Western Reserve, and the University of Cincinnati are the primary feeders. Intel New Albany will add thousands of new entry-level EE positions as it ramps production.
• Mid-Level Engineer (3–7 years): $95,000–$130,000 — GE Aerospace engineers with FADEC design experience, AFRL/Northrop cleared engineers, and Parker Hannifin power electronics specialists advance strongly. Battelle engineers developing expertise in pathogen detection electronics or nuclear material detection systems build uniquely valued credentials.
• Senior Engineer (7–12 years): $130,000–$168,000 — Technical leadership at GE Aerospace on major engine programs, AFRL principal research engineers, or Intel process integration engineers. Senior Eaton engineers leading power management product development represent the industrial electronics premium tier.
• Principal/Technical Fellow (12+ years): $168,000–$240,000+ — GE Aerospace Technical Fellows, Battelle Distinguished Research Engineers, and Intel Distinguished Engineers represent Ohio's EE apex.

AFRL / Defense Research Track: Wright-Patterson's Air Force Research Laboratory offers a career path unique in the defense research community — EEs who work at AFRL develop exposure to the full spectrum of Air Force technology challenges, from directed energy to autonomous systems to advanced manufacturing. The laboratory's publication culture allows EEs to build public technical reputations alongside classified program work, creating careers of unusual intellectual breadth.

💰 Salary vs. Cost of Living

Ohio's $108,000 average EE salary in a state with a cost of living 10–20% below the national average across most major markets creates strong purchasing power — and the Intel New Albany investment is already beginning to elevate EE compensation benchmarks in central Ohio.

Columbus Metro: Ohio's capital and fastest-growing city, with cost of living roughly 5–10% below the national average. Median home prices of $280,000–$390,000 in Columbus suburbs (Dublin, Westerville, Hilliard, New Albany). The Intel New Albany campus is already driving appreciation in eastern Columbus suburbs. Columbus offers genuine urban amenities — the Short North arts district, Ohio State's campus energy, excellent restaurants — at costs that coastal engineers find dramatically more comfortable.

Dayton (Wright-Patterson / GE Aerospace Area): More affordable — cost of living 15–20% below the national average, with median home prices of $190,000–$290,000. Defense contractor engineers around WPAFB achieve exceptional purchasing power while working on programs of national importance. Dayton's underrated arts scene, including the Dayton Art Institute and the National Museum of the US Air Force (free, largest military aviation museum in the world), makes it more culturally rich than its small-city reputation suggests.

Cleveland: Cost of living 15–20% below national average, with median home prices of $160,000–$260,000 in many Cleveland suburbs. Parker Hannifin, Eaton, and Cleveland Clinic's engineering community achieve outstanding purchasing power on Ohio EE salaries. Cleveland's cultural renaissance — the Cleveland Orchestra (world-class), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and thriving Ohio City neighborhood — makes it a significantly more appealing city than its national reputation would suggest.

📜 Licensing & Professional Development

Ohio's EE professional development reflects its aerospace, defense, industrial, and semiconductor sectors — with AFRL clearances, GE Aerospace avionics standards, Intel fab credentials, and Eaton power systems expertise being the primary career differentiators.

The Ohio State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors administers PE licensure via the standard pathway. PE licensure is relevant for utility engineers at FirstEnergy, AEP, and Duke Energy Ohio.

High-Value Credentials in Ohio:

• DO-178C / DO-254 (GE Aerospace): For GE Aerospace engineers developing FADEC software and electronics for commercial and military engines, FAA design assurance standards (DO-178C for software, DO-254 for complex hardware) are foundational credentials. Engineers who have personally led FAA Type Certificate data package submissions for engine electronic systems develop rare and highly valued expertise.
• DOD Secret / TS Clearances (AFRL / Northrop): For Wright-Patterson engineers at AFRL and defense contractors, clearances are the primary career accelerant. AFRL offers a unique combination of cleared defense work and academic-style publication freedom — engineers who develop a cleared research track record and a public publication record build unusually powerful career credentials.
• Intel Semiconductor Certifications (SEMI / Statistical Process Control): As Intel New Albany ramps production, EEs with semiconductor process control expertise, statistical process control (SPC) methodology, and advanced photolithography knowledge will be in acute demand. The facility's scale means that small improvements in yield translate to enormous commercial value, making process engineering expertise exceptionally well-compensated.
• Certified Functional Safety Expert (CFSE) / IEC 61508: Increasingly relevant for Parker Hannifin and Eaton engineers developing safety-critical motion control and power management systems for aerospace and industrial applications where formal functional safety analysis is required for regulatory approval.

Education: The Ohio State University (Columbus — a top-10 nationally ranked EE program) is the premier program, with direct recruiting relationships with Intel, Battelle, and major Ohio employers. Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland) is a leading research university with strong defense and biomedical engineering connections. The University of Cincinnati, Wright State University (Dayton — direct WPAFB connections), and Ohio University provide additional strong pathways.

📊 Job Market Outlook

Ohio is one of the most promising EE growth markets in the nation, driven by Intel's transformative semiconductor investment, GE Aerospace's continued growth, AFRL's expanding research mission, and the state's strong industrial automation sector.

Intel New Albany — Generational Impact: Intel's commitment to New Albany represents the largest manufacturing investment in Ohio's history — and potentially one of the most important semiconductor manufacturing investments in the US under the CHIPS Act framework. The first fabs are expected to begin production in the late 2020s, with subsequent phases potentially adding fabs through the 2030s. At full buildout, Intel's Ohio operations could employ tens of thousands of workers directly, with thousands of those being EEs in process, equipment, yield, and integration engineering roles. This investment will structurally transform Ohio's EE employment landscape.

GE Aerospace Growth: GE Aerospace's separation from GE's other businesses as a standalone company has reinvigorated focus on commercial and military aviation. The CFM LEAP engine program — powering Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo aircraft — has strong production backlogs, and next-generation engine programs (including open-fan architecture research) sustain Ohio's aviation electronics engineering demand for decades.

AFRL Expansion: The Air Force Research Laboratory is receiving increased federal investment across its research programs — directed energy, hypersonics, autonomous systems, quantum sensing — driving growth in Ohio's defense research engineering community. The AFRL's proximity to Wright-Patterson's operational community creates unusually direct pathways from research to deployment.

Workforce Projection: Ohio is expected to add 2,500–4,500 EE positions over the next five years — with Intel New Albany, GE Aerospace, and AFRL programs driving the largest share — making it one of the top three Midwest growth markets for electrical engineers.

🕐 Day in the Life

Electrical engineering in Ohio spans from designing FADEC systems for the world's most-sold commercial jet engine to advancing hypersonic weapon research at AFRL — within a state whose affordable, community-oriented cities offer a quality of life that consistently exceeds the expectations of engineers who arrive knowing only Ohio's industrial reputation.

At GE Aerospace (Evendale/Cincinnati area): Engine electronics engineers work on FADEC systems that must function reliably through 30,000+ flight hours across every conceivable atmospheric condition — from Arctic cold soak to tropical humidity to high-altitude ice crystal ingestion. A day might involve reviewing FADEC software regression test results following a recent algorithm update, analyzing fuel flow metering valve performance data from a hot section endurance test, or preparing DO-178C compliance evidence for a new engine variant certification. The engineering culture is technically rigorous and proud of its heritage — GE has been building jet engines in Ohio since the dawn of the jet age.

At AFRL Wright-Patterson (Dayton): Research engineers work in the Air Force's primary science and technology establishment — an institution that has advanced aircraft stealth, fly-by-wire controls, directed energy, and autonomous systems over its history. A day might involve designing photodetector arrays for an electro-optical sensor experiment, characterizing the efficiency of a wide-bandgap power semiconductor at high temperatures for a future aircraft power system, or writing a technical paper on novel antenna materials for publication in IEEE Transactions. The combination of fundamental research freedom and defense mission focus creates a uniquely intellectually stimulating engineering environment.

Lifestyle: Ohio's lifestyle surprises many engineers with its combination of affordability, cultural richness, and genuine community. Columbus's vibrant Short North, Ohio State's energy, and the city's status as a major test market for consumer trends (if it works in Columbus, it works nationally) give it an unusual urban dynamism. Cleveland's extraordinary restaurants, the Rock Hall, and the Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall create cultural experiences well above what a Rust Belt city's reputation would suggest. The state's outdoor options — Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Hocking Hills State Park, Lake Erie's islands — provide genuine recreation without the dramatic mountain scenery that requires a long drive from most of Ohio's population centers.

🔄 Compare with Other States

See how Ohio compares to other top states for electrical engineering: