About the Department

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering prepares students for well-paying careers and to thrive in the era of AI. Careers include developing smart devices such as autonomous vehicles and mobile phones, computer engineering, software engineering, RF electronics, power and energy, robotics, and others.

Mission statement

To graduate electrical and computer engineers who are critical thinkers, effective communicators, AI-competent engineers, and experts in their field of study.

  • Critical thinking: Graduates can analyze complex problems, question assumptions, and make well-reasoned decisions based on evidence and sound judgment.
  • Communication skills: Graduates can clearly articulate their reasoning and decisions to a range of audiences, explaining what they have done, why they did it, and what they plan to do.
  • AI competency: Graduates are able to effectively use AI tools, understand their limitations, and critically evaluate the quality and reliability of AI-generated results.
  • Experts in field of study: Graduates possess deep knowledge in an ECE-related domain and can apply that knowledge to design real world innovative solutions.
ECE classroom with students on computers

$ 155,020

Computer Hardware Engineer Median Salary

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer-hardware-engineers.htm

ECE Department Senior Design Fair Spring 2026

$ 118,780

Electrical Engineer Median Salary

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm

Five students stand beside a tall, tripod-mounted engineering device with exposed wiring and a cylindrical tube, in a wood-paneled room with international flags displayed overhead.

$ 123,000

Software Engineer Median Salary

Source: CareerExplorer, https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/software-engineer/salary/

Two students in the electronics lab for the Digital Design class

$ 131,450

Software developer Median Salary

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm

A person wearing a virtual reality headset

40 %

of the ECE faculty have won teaching awards at the college and university level

https://engineering.uiowa.edu/news-and-events/awards-and-honors/excellence-awards#accordion-item-30056-2

Fatima Toor works with students in her lab

25 %

of the ECE faculty are IEEE Fellows

https://www.ieee.org/communities-connection/awards-recognition/ieee-fellows

97 %

of our graduates are employed, continuing their education, or not seeking work within six months of graduation

ECE events

 Computer Science Department Graduate School Information Session promotional image

Computer Science Department Graduate School Information Session

Wednesday, October 7, 2026 6:30pm to 7:30pm
MacLean Hall
Learn more about the master's, PhD, and U2G programs offered by the Department of Computer Science, and the application process.
CS Colloquium - "Looking Behind the Seen: Generative AI for Environment Understanding, Forecasting & Optimization" promotional image

CS Colloquium - "Looking Behind the Seen: Generative AI for Environment Understanding, Forecasting & Optimization"

Friday, October 9, 2026 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Schaeffer Hall
Peeking beyond immediately observed data in three domains: holistic environment understanding, forecasting, and optimization.

College events

Sci-Fi Flix: Fact or Fiction - 'Jurassic Park' promotional image

Sci-Fi Flix: Fact or Fiction - 'Jurassic Park'

Thursday, October 8, 2026 6:30pm to 9:30pm
Seamans Center
Sci-Fi Flix: Fact or Fiction - 'Jurassic Park'

Fall 2026 CoE Improv

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Seamans Center
Fall 2026 College of Engineering Improv
Holding Space: Stories of Interdisciplinary Collaboration — Counterpoint event featuring Stephanie Miracle promotional image

Holding Space: Stories of Interdisciplinary Collaboration — Counterpoint event featuring Stephanie Miracle

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 5:00pm to 6:15pm
Voxman Music Building

Join us to celebrate the interdisciplinary work of University of Iowa choreographer and assistant professor of dance Stephanie Miracle, recipient of the 2026 Obermann Interdisciplinary Achievement Award.

Miracle will bring together dance, engineering, and the humanities in a brief improvisational performance featuring dancers Bea Beaman and Trinity Woody performing alongside robots built by the University of Iowa College of Engineering, with narration by Eric Gidal and music by Jean-François...

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