Difference between an electronics engineer and an electrical engineer

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>I recently worked with a gentleman who had a BSEE from Georgia Tech, but he described himself as an electronics engineer, as opposed to an electrical engineer.</p>

<p>He worked mainly in telecommunications, and while he started his career in the Atlanta area following graduation from Tech, he wound up in the San Francisco area, then the Portland, Oregon area.</p>

<p>I'm interested in the career path, as my son is a mechanical engineer, but he's doing some work in communications for a special project, and will probably do a joint senior project with a friend majoring in electrical engineering.</p>

<p>Can y'all shed some light on what the difference is between an electronic and electrical and mechanical engineer, and the difference in job opportunities and pay scale?</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

2

<p>

</p>

<p>[Electrical</a> and Electronics Engineers : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm]Electrical”>Electrical and Electronics Engineers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)</p>

<p>Basically, electrical engineers delve more in to electrical theory, whereas electronic engineers deal more with designing electrical equipment.</p>

3

<p>As an EE, I would say that “electronics engineer” is a subset of “electrical engineer” - the former are still part of the latter, but not all the latter belong in the former. I am an electro-optical engineer if I want to be specific, an electrical engineer if I do not.</p>

<p>As fractal noted, electronics engineers work on electronic equipment, which is a very large section of electrical engineering, but they can be as theoretical or as practical as any other kind of engineer.</p>