TL;DR: Electrical engineer jobs in the Philippines pay an average of ₱23,000 to ₱30,000 a month, according to JobStreet's salary insights (refreshed November 2026). In government, a licensed electrical engineer enters the Engineer I item at Salary Grade 12, which pays ₱33,947 a month at Step 1 under DBM National Budget Circular No. 601, effective January 1, 2026, and the ladder runs to Engineer V (SG 24) at ₱102,603. Maintenance managers average ₱50,000 to ₱60,000 and engineering managers ₱60,000 to ₱70,000 on JobStreet. In Saudi Arabia, GulfTalent reports an average of SAR 7,000 a month, up to SAR 14,000. Under RA 7920, only a licensed REE or PEE can be in charge of most plants, which is why the license drives pay.
Electrical engineering is one of the few engineering degrees where the law spells out exactly which license is needed to run what. That makes the salary question unusually tied to the board exam. This guide covers what electrical engineers earn at each stage, from fresh graduate to manager, in private industry, government, and the Gulf. Government figures come from DBM's official schedule, private ranges from JobStreet's job-ad salary data, and overseas rates from GulfTalent. No Philippine agency publishes a private-sector electrical engineer salary survey, so private figures are directional.
How Much Does an Electrical Engineer Earn in the Philippines?
An electrical engineer in the Philippines typically earns ₱23,000 to ₱30,000 a month, per JobStreet's November 2026 data, with supervisory, managerial, and senior government roles reaching ₱50,000 to over ₱100,000.
| Stage / Role | Monthly Pay | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance engineer | ₱21,000-₱31,000 | JobStreet, Nov 2026 |
| Electrical engineer (all job ads) | ₱23,000-₱30,000 | JobStreet, Nov 2026 |
| Electrical design engineer | ₱23,000-₱33,000 | JobStreet, Nov 2026 |
| Electrical supervisor | ₱28,000-₱38,000 | JobStreet, Nov 2026 |
| Government Engineer I (SG 12) | ₱33,947 (Step 1) | DBM NBC 601, 2026 |
| Maintenance manager | ₱50,000-₱60,000 | JobStreet, Nov 2026 |
| Government Engineer III (SG 19) | ₱59,153 (Step 1) | DBM NBC 601, 2026 |
| Engineering manager | ₱60,000-₱70,000 | JobStreet, Nov 2026 |
| Government Engineer V (SG 24) | ₱102,603 (Step 1) | DBM NBC 601, 2026 |
Disclaimer: JobStreet figures are averages of salary ranges employers disclosed in job ads, not a government wage survey. Treat them as directional ranges, not guaranteed offers, and confirm pay with the employer.
What Do Fresh Electrical Engineering Graduates Earn?
Fresh BSEE graduates usually start in the lower part of the ₱21,000 to ₱31,000 band that JobStreet shows for maintenance and general electrical engineer roles. Many first jobs are in plant maintenance, building and facilities work, or as junior design engineers at contractors.
The board exam matters more here than in many fields. Under RA 7920, electric plants and industrial and commercial establishments above set thresholds must keep a licensed REE or PEE on staff, so the posts the law requires can only go to licensed engineers. An unlicensed graduate can work under one, but cannot fill that role. If you are still choosing where to study, start with our BS Electrical Engineering guide.
What Salary Grade Is a Government Electrical Engineer?
DBM has no separate "Electrical Engineer" plantilla title. Licensed electrical engineers in government are appointed to the general Engineer I to V ladder that DBM's Index of Occupational Services sets at Salary Grades 12 to 24.
| Government Rank | Salary Grade | Step 1, 2026 (3rd tranche) | Step 1 from Jan 1, 2027 (scheduled) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer I | SG 12 | ₱33,947 | ₱35,650 |
| Engineer II | SG 16 | ₱45,694 | ₱47,829 |
| Engineer III | SG 19 | ₱59,153 | ₱61,916 |
| Engineer IV | SG 22 | ₱81,796 | ₱85,431 |
| Engineer V | SG 24 | ₱102,603 | ₱107,022 |
The 2026 rates come from the third tranche of Executive Order No. 64, s. 2024, implemented through DBM National Budget Circular No. 601, effective January 1, 2026. EO 64 schedules the fourth and final tranche for January 1, 2027, subject to funding in the 2027 budget. Every grade also gets the ₱2,000 monthly PERA, before GSIS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and tax. Passing the REE exam also confers civil service eligibility under RA 1080, per the Civil Service Commission. See the full salary grade table for steps 2 to 8.
REE vs RME vs PEE: How Does Each License Affect Pay?
RA 7920, the New Electrical Engineering Law, creates three licenses, and each one sets a different ceiling on what you can be in charge of.
| License | How You Get It | What It Allows |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Master Electrician (RME) | Written exam; age 18+; shorter electrical course or partial BSEE plus practice or apprenticeship | Installation and maintenance work; above 500 kVA or 600 V must be supervised by a PEE or REE |
| Registered Electrical Engineer (REE) | Written exam; age 21+; BS Electrical Engineering degree | Can be the required engineer in charge of electric plants and industrial and commercial installations |
| Professional Electrical Engineer (PEE) | REE with 4+ years of active practice; experience record, technical paper, and oral exam or interview | Plans and specifications must be prepared under, and sealed by, a PEE |
The key line is in Section 31(c) of RA 7920: for installations above 500 kVA or 600 volts, "the work shall be under the supervision of a professional electrical engineer or a registered electrical engineer." Section 33 then requires electric plants, industrial plants, and commercial establishments to keep a PEE or REE on staff, with an RME allowed only for installations up to 500 kVA and 600 volts. Section 34 requires electrical plans to be sealed by a PEE.
That legal structure is why the REE license is the gateway to plant engineer and supervisor roles, and why PEE status, earned after four years of practice, is what lets you sign designs and run a consultancy.
Which Industries Hire Electrical Engineers, and How Does Pay Differ?
The biggest employers are power generation, transmission and distribution utilities, manufacturing plants, building and facilities management, and construction contractors. The Philippine Statistics Authority's 2024 Occupational Wages Survey put the average monthly wage in the electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply industry at ₱35,188 across all its workers, one of the highest industry averages and well above the ₱21,544 national average.
- Power and utilities. Generation plants, transmission, distribution utilities, and electric cooperatives. RA 7920's staffing rule means these employers must have licensed engineers.
- Manufacturing. Plant electrical and maintenance roles, where JobStreet shows maintenance engineers at ₱21,000-₱31,000 and maintenance managers at ₱50,000-₱60,000.
- Buildings and facilities. Malls, hospitals, and office towers. JobStreet lists facilities engineers at ₱24,000-₱30,000 and facilities managers at ₱50,000-₱60,000.
- Design and construction. Electrical design engineers at contractors and consultancies, ₱23,000-₱33,000 on JobStreet. Signing designs requires PEE status.
- Outsourced engineering. Some firms do electrical design and drafting for overseas projects. Pay varies widely and we found no reliable survey figure.
How Much Do Electrical Engineers Earn in the Middle East?
Gulf electrical engineer salaries are generally income-tax-free, according to GulfTalent's salary data:
| Market | Average Monthly Salary | Reported High |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | SAR 7,000 | SAR 14,000 |
| UAE | AED 6,500 | AED 15,000 |
| Qatar | QAR 8,000 | QAR 12,500 |
GulfTalent also lists senior and lead electrical engineers in Saudi Arabia at an average of SAR 15,000 a month. Packages may or may not include housing and transport, so compare whole offers rather than base salary. Construction is the highest-paying industry for electrical engineers in Saudi Arabia on GulfTalent's data.
What Do You Need to Pass the Electrical Engineering Board Exam?
For the REE exam, Section 17 of RA 7920 requires Filipino citizenship, age 21 or older, and a BS Electrical Engineering degree. You pass with a general weighted average of 70% and no subject group below 50%. The RME exam is a separate track with its own eligibility routes. Our electrical engineering board exam guide covers subjects, weights, and schedule, and our PRC board exam requirements guide lists the documents.
How to Decide If Electrical Engineering Pay Is Worth It
- Treat the REE exam as part of the degree. The law ties plant and building jobs to the license, so an unlicensed BSEE graduate is boxed out of the roles that pay best.
- Plan for PEE. Four years of active practice as an REE is the path to sealing plans and consulting work, which is where independent earnings sit.
- Compare government stability against private upside. Government Engineer pay is fixed by salary grade and rises with each tranche. Utility, manufacturing, and Gulf roles have higher ceilings.
- Don't confuse EE with ECE. If your interest is electronics or telecoms, that is a different degree and license. See our ECE board exam guide.
- Pick the school by board results. See our best engineering schools roundup, and our strand for engineering guide if you are still in Senior High.
- Compare with sister fields. See our civil engineer salary guide.
Ready to find the right school? Browse schools and compare engineering programs, tuition, and reviews across hundreds of Philippine schools on SchoolFinderPH.
Sources
- DBM National Budget Circular No. 601, s. 2026 — Third Tranche Salary Schedule (official PDF)
- Executive Order No. 64, s. 2024 — full text including fourth tranche schedule, LawPhil
- DBM Index of Occupational Services, Position Titles and Salary Grades (2022), Volume II
- Republic Act No. 7920 — New Electrical Engineering Law, LawPhil
- Civil Service Commission — Bar/Board Eligibility under RA 1080
- BusinessMirror — PSA data: industry wages show 3-fold gap in 2024 (2024 Occupational Wages Survey)
- JobStreet — Electrical Engineer Salary in the Philippines
- JobStreet — Electrical Design Engineer Salary
- JobStreet — Electrical Supervisor Salary
- JobStreet — Maintenance Engineer Salary
- JobStreet — Maintenance Manager Salary
- JobStreet — Engineering Manager Salary
- JobStreet — Facilities Engineer Salary
- JobStreet — Facilities Manager Salary
- JobStreet — Electronics Engineer Salary
- GulfTalent — Electrical Engineer Salaries in Saudi Arabia
- GulfTalent — Electrical Engineer Salaries in UAE
- GulfTalent — Electrical Engineer Salaries in Qatar
