Electrical Engineering vs Computer Science Salary: 10-Year Comparison

Two of the most popular — and highest-paying — college majors are Electrical Engineering (EE) and Computer Science (CS). But which one earns more over a 10-year career? And more importantly, which one is right for you?

We used CareerDataLab's BLS salary data to compare these two paths across four dimensions: starting salary, mid-career salary, growth rate, and job stability.

## Round 1: Starting Salary

| Major | Starting Salary | Winner |
|-------|----------------|--------|
| Computer Science | $75,000 - $95,000 | 🏆 CS by a nose |
| Electrical Engineering | $70,000 - $90,000 | |

CS takes the first round, but the margin is surprisingly narrow. Both start well above the average starting salary of $72,000 across all majors.

## Round 2: Mid-Career Salary (5-10 years)

| Major | Mid-Career Salary | Winner |
|-------|------------------|--------|
| Computer Science | $130,000 - $180,000 | 🏆 CS |
| Electrical Engineering | $120,000 - $160,000 | |

CS maintains its lead at mid-career. The key difference? Software engineers at top tech companies (FAANG, etc.) can dramatically out-earn their EE counterparts through stock compensation.

## Round 3: Job Stability & Market Demand

| Major | Stability & Demand | Winner |
|-------|-------------------|--------|
| Electrical Engineering | Strong — EV, renewable energy, defense | 🏆 EE |
| Computer Science | Strong — AI, web, cybersecurity | |

This round is close, but EE has a slight edge due to the physical nature of the work. Hardware engineering jobs are harder to offshore and less susceptible to AI disruption in the near term.

## Round 4: Salary Growth Rate

| Major | Growth Over 10 Years | Winner |
|-------|---------------------|--------|
| Computer Science | ~85% increase from starting | 🏆 CS |
| Electrical Engineering | ~75% increase from starting | |

CS shows faster salary appreciation, largely driven by the tech industry's equity-heavy compensation model.

## The Verdict

| Category | Winner |
|----------|--------|
| Starting Salary | 🏆 Computer Science |
| Mid-Career Salary | 🏆 Computer Science |
| Job Stability | 🏆 Electrical Engineering |
| Growth Rate | 🏆 Computer Science |

**CS wins 3 out of 4 rounds.** But the choice depends on your goals:

- **Choose CS if**: you want maximum earning potential, work in software/AI, and are comfortable with a desk job
- **Choose EE if**: you prefer hands-on work, want to build physical products, and value job stability over maximum upside

[Compare any two majors on CareerDataLab →](/tools)

*Data sourced from BLS OEWS May 2024.*

Salary Showdown: Electrical Engineering vs Computer Science — Who Wins Over 10 Years?