Designs the high-voltage substations that step power up and down between power plants, transmission lines and local distribution networks. BLS does not publish separate figures for electrical engineers; it counts them within electrical engineer (SOC 17-2071), whose median pay is $120,630 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 17-2071
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Substation Engineer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $120,630a year, or $58.00/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $77KTop 10% $184K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +9.9%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+9.9%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +9.9% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 11,400199,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025199.7K
- Projected 2035219.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 199.7K Projected 2035 219.5K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Associate's11%
- Bachelor's81.6%
- Master's7.3%
Highest education held by electrical engineers Segment Value Associate's 11% Bachelor's 81.6% Master's 7.3%
Also advertised as: Substation Design Engineer, Substation Physical Design Engineer, Substation Electrical Engineer, Substation Project Engineer, HV Substation Engineer.
Pay
How much do Electrical Engineers make?
Every substation engineer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$120,630
Middle half earn $92,830 to $152,950
- 10th
- $76,550
- 25th
- $92,830
- 75th
- $152,950
- 90th
- $184,300
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $76,550 |
| 25th | $92,830 |
| Median | $120,630 |
| 75th | $152,950 |
| 90th | $184,300 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $120,630
- Median hourly wage
- $58.00/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $125,100
- People employed
- 198,750
Versus all US occupations
At $120,630, Electrical Engineers earn 137% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $69,650 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
Inside the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110, this is 16% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $184,300 or more while the bottom 10% earn $76,550, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 84% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New Mexico pays the most at $158,520, and still leads at $171,908 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Electrical Engineers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Mexico | $158,520 | $171,908 | 2,560 |
| 2California | $144,040 | $130,094 | 24,230 |
| 3District of Columbia | $143,000 | $130,117 | 330 |
| 4New Hampshire | $135,710 | $130,284 | 1,600 |
| 5Washington | $132,710 | $124,013 | 7,610 |
| 6Texas | $129,450 | $133,375 | 20,870 |
| 7Idaho | $129,340 | $135,443 | 1,000 |
| 8Massachusetts | $127,720 | $120,767 | 5,040 |
| 9Delaware | $126,970 | $127,214 | 660 |
| 10Alaska | $125,970 | $123,067 | 350 |
Job outlook
Is Substation Engineer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +9.9% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Electrical Engineers | +9.9% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Electrical Engineers to change 9.9% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.8× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 19,800 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 11,400 openings are projected each year, 5.7% of the 199,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Substation Engineer
A bachelor's degree in electrical engineering is required, with coursework in power systems. Many substation engineers join a utility or engineering consulting firm after graduation and learn design standards from senior engineers. The IEEE Power and Energy Society publishes the standards and guides used in substation design.
A professional engineering license is often required for signing drawings, earned by passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, gaining experience and then passing the PE Electrical and Computer: Power exam. Experience in field commissioning or construction gives engineers practical insight that improves their designs.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as electrical engineers.
- Bachelor's Degree81.6%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree11%
- Master's Degree7.3%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 81.6% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 11% |
| Master's Degree | 7.3% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Substation Engineer do?
Substation engineers design the switching yards and transformer stations that connect the electric grid. They lay out transformers, breakers, switches, buswork and grounding grids, size equipment for fault currents, and produce the drawings and specifications contractors build from.
Physical design engineers focus on layouts, structures and clearances, while electrical design engineers handle one-line diagrams, wiring and control buildings. Demand has grown with new solar, wind, battery storage and data center connections, all of which need new or expanded substations. They also coordinate with protection, civil and transmission teams so each piece fits the wider grid.
Day-to-day tasks
- Develop substation one-line diagrams and layouts
- Size transformers, breakers and buswork for fault levels
- Design grounding grids and lightning protection
- Prepare construction drawings and equipment specifications
- Review vendor drawings for transformers and switchgear
- Coordinate with protection, civil and transmission engineers
- Support construction and commissioning in the field
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Substation engineers work mostly in offices using CAD and design software, with site visits to substations during construction and commissioning. Site work requires protective equipment and strict electrical safety. Hours are usually regular, with deadline crunches on large projects. Engineers at utilities may support storm restoration, and consultants often balance several projects for different clients at once.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Writing4.1
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Active Learning3.9
- Monitoring3.5
- Mathematics3.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Writing | 4.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.5 |
| Mathematics | 3.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Coordination3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Systems Analysis3.3
- Systems Evaluation3.3
- Operations Analysis3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Instructing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.3 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.3 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- File versioning software · in demand
- Geographic information system · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Substation Engineer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRC) built on O*NET's Electrical Engineer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Substation Engineer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic6.0
- Investigative5.6
- Conventional4.5
- Enterprising2.4
- Artistic2.1
- Social1.7
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Substation Engineer
O*NET related occupations
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Most earn $50K to $116K
+2.4%Associate's - Architecture and Engineering
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More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with electrical engineers highlighted
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Electrical Engineer$120,630
- Substation Engineer$120,630
- Environmental Engineer$107,110
- Mechanical Engineer$104,110
- Automotive Engineer$104,110
- Industrial Engineer$102,440
- Civil Engineer$100,840
- Architect$99,280
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 |
| Substation Engineer | $120,630 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 |
| Automotive Engineer | $104,110 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Substation Engineer appears on
Questions
Substation Engineer: frequently asked questions
How much do Electrical Engineers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for electrical engineers. It counts them within electrical engineer, whose median pay is $120,630 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $92,830 and $152,950, and the top 10% earn $184,300 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Substation Engineer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Electrical Engineers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 81.6% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Substation Engineer a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 9.9% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 11,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Substation Engineer do?
Substation engineers design the switching yards and transformer stations that connect the electric grid. A typical task: develop substation one-line diagrams and layouts. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Electrical Engineers the most?
The highest state medians for Electrical Engineers are New Mexico ($158,520), California ($144,040), District of Columbia ($143,000) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Substation Engineer?
O*NET scores Electrical Engineers highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISTP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.