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Electrical Engineer vs RF Engineer: pay, jobs and what each takes
Electrical engineers and RF and communications engineers side by side: what each earns by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and by the jobs open today, how many jobs there are, and the education and credentials each takes.
Electrical Engineer vs RF Engineer, side by side
| Electrical engineer | RF engineer | |
|---|---|---|
| Open jobs on this board today | 812 | 340 |
| Median posted hourly pay (open jobs) | $160,000 | $173,500 |
| Median hourly pay (BLS) | - | - |
| Median yearly pay (BLS) | - | - |
| Projected employment change (BLS) | - | - |
| Openings a year (BLS) | - | - |
| Typical education to enter (BLS) | - | - |
| Credentials | Security clearance (Secret, Top Secret, TS/SCI) | Security clearance (Secret, Top Secret, TS/SCI) |
Electrical Engineer vs RF Engineer: common questions
Are there more electrical engineer or RF engineer jobs?
On this board today: 812 open electrical engineer jobs and 340 RF engineer jobs, read from each employer's own job board.
What is the difference between an electrical engineer and an RF?
Space companies hire electrical engineers to design avionics, power systems, circuit boards and harnesses that work through launch, vacuum and radiation. Satellite and launch companies hire RF engineers to design the antennas, radios and communication links that connect spacecraft to the ground and to each other.
How do you become an electrical engineer or an RF?
An electrical or computer engineering degree, with board, FPGA or power electronics work. An electrical engineering degree, often a master's, focused on RF, antennas or communications. Each occupation's page lists its credentials and who grants them: Electrical engineers, RF and communications engineers.
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Sources and method
Pay and outlook are BLS's figures for each occupation's main SOC code; open jobs and their posted median are this board's, counted as each occupation's own page counts them.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and Employment Projections
- SpaceJobs.Now job board: open jobs read every night from each employer's own careers site
Cite this page
SpaceJobs.Now. (2026). Electrical Engineer vs RF Engineer: Pay, Jobs and Requirements Compared. Data as of 7 Nov 2026. https://spacejobs.now/compare-careers/electrical-engineer-vs-rf-engineer