Electrical engineers, computer engineers, software engineers, and cyber security engineers are some of most in-demand professionals in the United States and around the world. They work in industries ranging from health care, renewable energy, and retail to security, gaming, and telecommunications. All of career paths in electrical, computer, software, or cyber security engineering provide opportunities to work with teams of engineers and make a huge difference in the lives of people worldwide.
During your time at Iowa State or as an alum, our resources below can connect you to information you need to learn about careers in electrical, computer, software, and cyber security engineering, as well as get a full-time job, internship, co-op, or part-time on-campus jobs.
For Current and Prospective Students
- On-campus Student Job Openings
- Undergraduate Research Opportunities
- Graduate Assistantships
- ECpE Internship/Co-op Guidelines
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Career Resources
- ISU Engineering Career Services and CyHire
- Pre-college Preparation
The cool thing about engineering is that you get to work with teams of people to create things that truly help people. And as an electrical, computer, software, or cyber security engineer, you get to be one of the first people to see and develop the new technology people use every day—from new robots that can do surgery and new devices that help doctors care for patients to the next-generation of smartphones your friends will use and electronic systems used in next year’s cars.
The career outlook is great for electrical, computer, software, and cyber security engineers, too. Electrical engineering and computer engineering are some of the fastest growing career fields in the United States. And they pay well—starting salaries are typically near $74,000 for entry-level engineering jobs for bachelor’s degree graduates. With a master’s or PhD degree, you could make $83,000 or more a year at your first full-time job.
But what exactly is the difference between an electrical and computer engineer? Use this chart to learn more.
| What is Electrical Engineering?
Electrical engineers are at the foundation of all electronic devices—your smartphone, laptop, GPS, e-reader, LED lights, or even your car. Electrical engineers create technologies that connect the world and help make our lives better. They work in various industries from electric power and communications to health care and avionics. ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS:
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What is Computer Engineering?
Computer engineers solve problems in hardware, software, systems, and networks so things like your laptop or big airplanes work properly. Computer engineers make current devices we use for work and entertainment faster, smaller, cheaper, smarter, and safer. They also develop systems needed to protect and operate the United States’ critical infrastructures—such as the Internet and smart power grid—so its day-to-day services are not interrupted. Computer engineers work in almost every industry—from health care and gaming to banking and online shopping. COMPUTER ENGINEERS:
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Learn more about the differences among the computer engineering, electrical engineering, cyber security engineering, computer science, and software engineering majors at Iowa State.