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Is consumer electronics/appliances a good career path for graduates? Before we answer that, let’s look at some fun facts about this industry.

Consumer electronics and appliances play a significant role in making life easy to live. When you have all the necessary gadgets you need and your home is equipped with resourceful appliances, it makes your life enjoyable!

However, electronics and appliances keep getting upgraded almost daily with companies trying to outsmart each other with smart devices.

So there’s so much competition in the market as companies try to satisfy existing consumers and win over new ones.

As a result, the consumer electronics/appliance industry is always in need of the best hands to join the workforce. This is especially true for electrical and electronics engineers.

It is little wonder that the BLS projects job growth for these professionals through 2030 in companies that produce electronic devices and systems.

They’ll be needed to develop sophisticated consumer electronics. That said, there are other job opportunities too in this industry.

So, if you want to learn more, let’s dive deeper because we have a lot to discuss on the consumer electronics/appliances career path.

What are Consumer Electronics/Appliances?

Consumer electronics/appliances are electronic equipment, tools, and appliances bought for everyday use, typically in private homes and not for commercial use.

Examples Of Consumer Electronics/Appliances

The following are examples of consumer electronics/appliances you can find in various homes and private places:

Televisions
Computers
Mobile phone or smartphones
Kitchen and home appliances

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List of Companies in the Consumer Electronics/Appliances Industry

You can easily think of some of the well-known electronics/appliances in the market. The ones that easily come to mind are Apple, Samsung, LG, and Panasonic.

The following are examples of some of the popular consumer electronics/appliances companies;

Apple Inc.
LG Electronics, Inc.
Motorola Solutions, Inc.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Sony Corporation

There are also many appliance stores where consumers go to buy appliances for use.

Is Consumer Electronics/Appliances A Good Career Path for Graduates?

Yes, because young professionals can find many career opportunities in consumer electronics/appliances that match different skills, interests, and education levels.

For example, there are jobs for electrical and electronics engineer graduates. Graduates can also work in managerial, supervisory, and administrative positions.

However, you don’t need to be a graduate for some jobs in consumer electronics/appliances though, having a degree in electronics or a related field can give you an advantage in the job market.

In fact, many companies require workers with degrees in electronics to have certification or experience in the field.

So as a graduate, you can also find jobs in many industries that use electricity. This includes companies that use electricity solely for business purposes as well as government entities.

Jobs in the electronics/appliances industry also involve repairing appliances, replacing parts, testing equipment, assembling products, and many more.

In addition, there are opportunities for sales and marketing positions in consumer electronics/appliances.

Further, the world of consumer electronics/appliances is booming right now. Consumers are always upgrading to new and innovative consumer electronics products.

So there’s always a demand for people with customer service, troubleshooting, and product knowledge skills who are willing to work hard.

If that describes you, then consumer electronics/appliances can be a good career path for you.

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What are the Benefits of Working in Consumer Electronics/Appliances?

If you’re interested in working in consumer electronics/appliances, here are some benefits of working in this industry;

Interaction and Corporation

Working in consumer electronics appliances allows you to interact with others. It also enhances cooperation between different departments within an organization.

For example, the operations department will collaborate with the production to ensure products meet desired expectations.

Opportunity to Learn New Things

The electronics/appliances industry allows you to learn new things. However, you use this knowledge to help customers. This in turn gives you the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped make someone’s life better.

However, the hours required to maintain and operate some devices or appliances can be long and frustrating at times. So, you just have to deal with that.

Growth Opportunity

Many jobs in consumer electronics/appliances provide great opportunities for growth and advancement.

For example, a technician can work his way up to become an engineer or operations manager with more education and experience.

On the downside, many jobs in this field are expected to have advanced technical skills, which may not be appropriate for everyone.

Pay

Consumer electronics/appliances jobs usually offer good salaries. However, this is mainly for engineering positions.

So some roles’ salaries can be lower than jobs in other industries. But this also depends on the company and location.

What are the Job Prospects for Consumer Electronics/Appliances?

Data from Businesswire says the United States Consumer Electronics and Appliances Market stood at USD136.42 billion in 2020.

Further, it is expected to grow at 3.7% in the forecast period, 2022-2026. This will achieve a market value of USD164.58 billion by 2026.

The following are factors attributing to the consumer electronics/appliances market growth according to Businesswire:

Increasing adaptations to modern consumer electronics and appliances.
A surge in demand for technologically advanced consumer electronics and appliances.
Increasing research and technologically advanced development in the existing appliances and innovating new models.
Consistent launch of innovative and technologically advanced products from the growing number of market players.
The increasing popularity of audio and visual equipment, and the further proliferation of wireless technologies.

Going by the above growth projections, it is in line to expect plenty of job opportunities in the consumer electronics/appliances industry.

Specifically, it is expected that job opportunities will be open in areas such as electronic and electrical engineering, customer service, troubleshooting, product knowledge, and repair.

There are also opportunities for digital marketers and sales representatives.

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Is Consumer Electronics/Appliances A Good Career Path: How Much Can You Make From Electronics/Appliances?

The estimated total pay for Consumer Electronics is $70,789 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $48,390 per year according to Glassdoor.

However, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the median annual wage for electronic and electrical engineers is $101,700.

7 Highly Paid Consumer Electronics/Appliances Career Paths for Graduates

1. Industrial Engineer in Consumer Electronic

As of 2022, the average annual pay for a Consumer Electronics Engineer in the United States is $79,062 a year according to ZipRecruiter.com.

A simple salary calculation works that out to be approximately $38.01 an hour. Further, this is the equivalent of $1,520/week or $6,588/month.

The role of a consumer electronics engineer is to support and maintain Test Systems for Testing Consumer Electronics.

2. Design Engineer

Design engineers are responsible for creating blueprints and schematics for systems, machines, and equipment.

The average annual pay for a Consumer Electronics Engineer in the United States is $79,062 a year according to ZipRecruiter.com

A simple calculation works that out to be approximately $38.01 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,520/week or $6,588/month.

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3. Computer Programming

Computer programming is one of the booming in-demand jobs in technology careers. So there are many opportunities for skilled programmers in consumer electronics and appliances.

In consumer electronics/appliances, computer programmers create the codes that make computers work.

They also work on different projects such as software development, web applications, computer software prepackaged software, and system administration.

The average Electronics and Software Engineer salary in the United States is $94,527 in 2022 according to salary.com. However, the salary range typically falls between $85,777 and $104,934.

4. Laboratory Technician

A laboratory technician conducts quality control tests on products before they are sold to the public.

The role of the laboratory technician requires a diploma or an equivalent qualification in this field, but some experience in laboratory procedures is highly desirable.

Certainly, you don’t have to wait to graduate from college before getting your hands dirty with a real job. This job can give you on-the-job experience that’ll boost your portfolio and also pay you $23.25 per hour.

5. Appliance Technician

The basic role of an appliance technician is to install, service, and repair various household appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and air conditioners.

They also examine customers’ appliances and identify the cause of appliance breakdowns.
The average salary for an appliance technician is $21.10 per hour in the United States and $7,054 overtime per year. This is based on 4.6k salaries reported on indeed.com in 2022.

6. Electronic Technician

There’s a growing trend of people using technology devices everywhere. So, technicians are always needed to keep these devices running smoothly.

An associate’s degree can get you started as an electronic technician. Also, most positions will require you to have some experience repairing computers.

In addition, you can get some electronic technician certifications to boost your chances.

Further, the top companies recruiting for electronic technicians in the US are US Navy, Marine Corps, Honeywell, US Army, Northrop Grumman, US Coast Guard, Lockheed Martin, and Schlumberger, US. Air Force, Halliburton, and many more.

Finally, the average salary for an electronics technician is $22.78 per hour in the United States and $6,937 overtime per year. This is based on 6.6k salaries reported on indeed.com in 2022.

7. Operations Manager

An operations manager oversees the organization’s production of goods and/or services.

You’ll oversee various departments, such as purchasing, warehousing, and manufacturing.

As the operations manager, you must make sure that your company’s products meet or exceed clients’ or customers’ expectations. You’ll also ensure that your company’s operations run smoothly and effectively.

The estimated total pay for a Technology Operations Manager is $133,374 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $111,883 per year according to Glassdoor.

Frequently Asked Questions on Is Consumer Electronics/Appliances A Good Career Path

What are consumer electronics and appliances?

Consumer electronics/appliances are electronic equipment, tools, and appliances bought for everyday use, typically in private homes and not for commercial use.

What are examples of consumer electronics?

Televisions
Computers
Mobile phone or smartphones

What is a consumer electronics subject?

This is a subject that introduces students to working principles, of consumer electronics appliances like audio-video systems, microwave ovens, washing machines, air-conditioners, camcorders, and others to develop skills to troubleshoot systematically.

Are home appliances considered consumer electronics?

Consumer Electronics covers Electronic equipment, tools, devices, and gadgets such as televisions, computers, mobile phones or smartphones, kitchen, home appliances, etc, bought for personal use and not for any commercial use.

Are laptops consumer electronics?

Yes, nowadays, people buy laptops for personal use.

Other products now included in the consumer electronics category are computers, smartphones, TV sets, tablets, game consoles, speakers and headphones, wearables, digital cameras, and VR (Virtual Reality) & AR (Augmented Reality) devices.

What is a consumer electronics product?

Consumer electronics devices cover electronics used for entertainment (flatscreen TVs, television sets, MP3 players, video recorders, DVD players, radio receivers, etc.) communications (telephones, cell phones, e-mail-capable personal computers, desktop computers, laptops, printers, paper shredders, etc.)

What are consumer electronics and appliances?

Consumer electronics/appliances are electronic equipment, tools, and appliances bought for everyday use, typically in private homes and not for commercial use.

What are examples of consumer electronics?

Televisions
Computers
Mobile phone or smartphones

What is a consumer electronics subject?

Are home appliances considered consumer electronics?

Are laptops consumer electronics?

Yes, nowadays, people buy laptops for personal use.

What is a consumer electronics product?

Conclusion

Consumer electronics/appliances offer young professionals many career opportunities that match different skills, interests, and education levels.

It is also expected that job opportunities will be open in areas such as electronic and electrical engineering, customer service, troubleshooting, product knowledge, and repair.

References

bls.gov – Electrical and Electronics Engineers
businesswire.com – United States Consumer Electronics and Appliances Market Report 2022
salonprivemag.com – 11 Of The Best Paying Jobs In Capital Goods