Quick answer: Electrical Engineers in the Bellingham area earn a median $119,200 per year, below the national median of $120,630, and the metro employs about 110 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Bellingham metro | Washington | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $119,200 | $132,710 | $120,630 |
| 10th percentile | $82,250 | $85,540 | $76,550 |
| 25th percentile | $100,700 | $103,910 | $92,830 |
| 75th percentile | $142,670 | $166,160 | $152,950 |
| 90th percentile | $170,560 | $185,690 | $184,300 |
| Employment | 110 | 7,610 | 198,750 |
| Location quotient | 0.98 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Bellingham, WA metropolitan statistical area.
The Bellingham median of $119,200 is below the national median of $120,630, and below the Washington statewide median of $132,710 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.98 means electrical engineers are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Electrical engineering demand concentrates around utilities, grid and generation projects, and the region’s electronics and manufacturing employers.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $140,210 | 4,930 |
| Kennewick | $128,190 | 450 |
| Spokane | $122,100 | 320 |
| Bremerton | $106,250 | 260 |
| Mount Vernon | $96,270 | 100 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Electrical engineering licensure runs through the state boards on the standard framework: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience, then the PE exam in electrical and computer engineering. The license matters most in power, utility and consulting work, where drawings are sealed and submitted for review. Engineers in electronics and product development more often work under what is commonly called the industrial exemption. Whether a state accepts an ABET ETAC (engineering technology) degree toward licensure varies, and so do comity rules between states.
See the Washington licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
The median annual wage for electrical engineers in the Bellingham, WA metro area is $119,200, below the national median of $120,630 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Bellingham, WA metro area employs about 110 electrical engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Electrical engineering licensure runs through the state boards on the standard framework: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience, then the PE exam in electrical and computer engineering. The license matters most in power, utility and consulting work, where drawings are sealed and submitted for review. Engineers in electronics and product development more often work under what is commonly called the industrial exemption. Whether a state accepts an ABET ETAC (engineering technology) degree toward licensure varies, and so do comity rules between states. Confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state engineering licensing board.
The Bellingham metro median is $119,200 against a statewide median of $132,710 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
