RF engineers held about 51,400 jobs in 2008, making this one of the smallest segments of the engineering community. This number is expected to increase 8.2% by the end of 2010.
An increasing number of RF engineers are employed on a contract basis - some of whom are self-employed - working independently as consultants (<9%). Consulting opportunities for RF engineers should grow as businesses need help designing, developing, implementing, upgrading, testing and customizing increasingly complex radio products and RF systems. Software defined radio skills are in incredible demand by both commercial and defense sector suppliers.
RF Engineering Employment Outlook
RF engineering is projected to be a fast growing segment from 2006 to 2014 - in terms of both salaries and number of opportunities.
Rapid growth in RF product development should result in opportunities for experienced RF Engineers that have hands-on experience developing products. All indicators point to continuing strong requirements for RF Enginners that are keeping their skills current.
Employment of RF engineers is expected to increase much faster than the average for most non-engineering and engineering occupations - as companies continue to adopt and integrate new technologies. In addition to employment growth, many openings will result annually from the need to replace workers who move into managerial positions, transfer to other areas (research, sales or marketing), or who leave the labor force.
As RF requirements in consumer products, telecom, networking, instrumentation, biomedical, government, defense sector and other settings continue to become more complex and feature rich - companies will require a growing number of qualified RF engineers who can keep them competitive. Consulting opportunities for software engineers concentrating in RF applications (like software defined radios, Radar, antenna design) also should continue to grow as firms increasingly need outside help on a short duration basis to enhance their products, and integrate new technologies and standards.
Another strong growth area is a subset - development of RF design tools that help other engineers visualize the performance of radio-frequency blocks. Capitalizing on two trends: the popularity of all things wireless and the availability of more-powerful computing platforms that are able to simulate the performance of much larger complex circuits. Complicated by multiple modulation schemes and constantly changing industry and government standards, RF tools have become proficient at simulating behavior on an architectural level. Engineers with background in both hands-on RF design and software development will continue to be in high demand.
A major growth factor will be companies in the defense sector, working on long term contracts for the federal government. Military and intelligence agencies, including homeland security, are increasingly outsourcing RF research, design, testing and development to private sector defense companies. With 22 federal government departments, and the United States military, contracting RF design to private sector companies, coupled with the increased demand for secure short and long range communications, RF engineering opportunities abound. Current national contracts range from VLF to SHF and microwave.
RF Engineers with Secret or Top Secret clearance are in heavy demand, and can add a salary differential of about 5-6% to reported salaries.
RF Engineering Salaries
The middle 50% of RF engineers averaged compensation between $68,870 and $115,610. The lowest 10% earned less than $50,570, and the highest 10% earned more than $143,690. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of RF engineers in 2008 were:
Computer, networking and office equipment: $86,740
Engineering contract services (government clients): $78,220
Professional, defense and consumer products: $89,370
Starting salary offers for graduates in 2008 with a B.S. Electrical Engineering (88%, 12% other degrees) that decided to pursue a career in RF engineering averaged $63,140, and those with a M.S.E.E. averaged $69,860. New Ph.D. EE grads averaged $90,240 nationwide.
The highest starting salaries for RF Engineers were on the west coast (CA), many reported in the high $80s -- due to higher cost of living issues during the offer stage. The highest consistent offers were concentrated in CA, DC, VA, MD, NY and TX. Many employers were offering premium incentives (starting bonus) for advanced degrees. A starting bonus for B.S. level new hires is not uncommon, as well as a year end performance bonus (usually both for well experienced candidates).
The stability and salaries for RF Engineers has improved consistently for the past 8 years, and is forecasted to continue until 2015. Defense and commercial companies are seeking experienced hands-on RF engineers and RF engineering managers that have specifically architected, designed and developed systems --- rather than spec'ed, used or maintained them (military).
