Electrical Engineering vs Computer Engineering: Which Course Is More Marketable After Polytechnic?

Meta description: Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering after polytechnic — which one helps you get hired faster in Nigeria? This article compares typical roles, where employers recruit, salary signals, transferable skills, and clear steps to boost your employability.

Picture two careers side by side: one wires and powers buildings, factories and grids; the other fuses hardware and software to make devices and networks run. Both paths open doors, but employers hire for slightly different skills. If you want to leave polytechnic with the best chance of landing paid work quickly, this article gives a practical comparison of market demand in Nigeria, where graduates actually find jobs, and what to learn to become the candidate companies chase.

What each course teaches and how employers use those skills

Electrical Engineering at polytechnic level trains students in power systems, electrical machines, basic electronics, wiring practice, distribution, installation and maintenance of electrical equipment. Employers hire electrical graduates for roles in power utilities, renewable energy installers, building services, manufacturing plants, and oil and gas sites where steady power and safe installations are critical. Many entry-level roles centre on installation, maintenance, testing, and compliance with electrical safety standards.

Computer Engineering is a hybrid of electronics and computing. The curriculum covers digital logic, microcontrollers, embedded systems, basic networking, and low-level software that runs on hardware. Employers look to computer engineers for embedded system work, hardware troubleshooting, IoT device development, network support, and roles that sit between pure software teams and hardware technicians. Entry jobs often include device maintenance, embedded programming, and on-site hardware integration for telecoms and manufacturing automation.

Where the jobs actually are in Nigeria right now

Hiring activity shows strong demand for both disciplines, but the concentration differs by industry. Electrical vacancies appear in utilities, solar and inverter installation companies, large manufacturing firms, construction contractors handling MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing), and oil & gas service providers. Job boards list hundreds of electrical-related openings across major cities, reflecting wide operational demand.

Computer Engineering roles surface in telecoms, embedded systems shops, hardware repair and assembly firms, and tech startups building IoT or device-based solutions. There are also opportunities where computer engineers cross into software roles — especially in companies that value low-level system knowledge. Local polytechnic program pages and recruitment listings show that computer engineering graduates can move into network support, embedded firmware roles, and device maintenance positions. 

Salary and hiring signals you can use to decide quickly

Salary surveys indicate that electrical roles have a wide pay spread depending on sector. Aggregated salary data for electrical engineers in Nigeria suggest monthly ranges commonly between roughly ₦160,000 and ₦550,000 for most hires, with higher pay in specialist or senior roles. These figures reflect the mix of junior installer roles and technical specialist positions. 

Computer engineering salary summaries show a similar pattern of wide variation. Recent local salary pages report average annual earnings for computer engineers around low-to-mid millions of naira, with entry-level monthly pay often starting near ₦150,000 and senior specialists earning much more, particularly where software or telecom skills apply. Roles tied to software, DevOps, or data systems can pay noticeably more than basic hardware maintenance jobs. 

What this means in practice is simple: entry pay is comparable between the two after polytechnic, but the highest salaries flow to niches where your skills match high-value business needs — for electrical grads that’s power, protection and industrial control; for computer grads that’s embedded systems, telecoms and software-adjacent roles.

Marketability: which graduates employers prefer first?

If employers must pick one graduate to hire for a typical operations role, electrical graduates often get immediate placement because many small and medium employers need technicians who can install and maintain inverters, generators, plant electrics and building wiring. That makes electrical graduates highly hireable across a broader set of day-to-day operational employers.

Computer Engineering graduates are very marketable in firms that design devices, build networks, or need embedded programmers. Their advantage grows when the local tech ecosystem is active — in cities where startups, telecoms and manufacturing automation are hiring, computer engineers move quickly from school to paid work.

So which is more marketable depends on local employer mix: in urban centres with many tech firms and telecom companies, computer engineering may give faster entry into paid roles; in regions with many factories, construction projects and energy installers, electrical graduates fill more immediate vacancies.

Transferable skills that make you more hireable regardless of the course

Cross-discipline skills boost marketability significantly. For electrical students, learning basic PLCs, ladder logic and simple networking opens doors into automation and control roles. For computer engineers, gaining familiarity with power electronics and practical wiring increases value in hands-on industrial settings. Employers reward graduates who show they can snap into operations on day one and who document practical attachments or small projects that solve real problems.

How to choose based on clear, practical goals

If you want rapid placement with many small employers: favour Electrical Engineering and focus on practical installations, maintenance logs, and safety certification. If you want to position for higher-growth tech roles that sometimes pay more and scale into software careers: favour Computer Engineering and invest time in microcontroller projects, basic firmware, and simple networking or Linux skills.

If you are undecided, start with a short project in each area while at polytechnic. Build a simple embedded project that communicates to a phone and a small electrical installation portfolio showing safe wiring and testing procedures. Having both in your CV turns you into a flexible hire who fits more roles.

Quick action steps that increase hireability after polytechnic

Secure industrial training with companies that actually hire their interns. Document the work you did in short reports and photos. Learn one industry tool deeply: for electrical students that might be inverter/single-line diagram testing and for computer students that might be a specific microcontroller family or real-time OS. Get a safety certificate or basic networking certificate to widen the number of roles that will accept you. Apply for roles aggressively in adjacent fields: an electrical graduate who knows basic PLCs can work in automation; a computer graduate who understands power electronics can work in device servicing.

Both Electrical and Computer Engineering are marketable after polytechnic, but the better choice depends on the sectors you can realistically access. If you live near manufacturing, construction, or regions with heavy energy work, Electrical Engineering often gives immediate hireability. If you are in a tech hub with startups, telecoms or device firms, Computer Engineering offers a fast track into higher-growth roles. The best long-term strategy is to pick the course that aligns with the employers you can reach now, while adding one crossover skill from the other field to make your CV harder to replace. 

ALSO READ; Courses offered in Newgate College of Health Science & Technology, Minna and Their School Fees