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The differences between associate design engineers and electrical design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an associate design engineer, becoming an electrical design engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an electrical design engineer has an average salary of $83,944, which is higher than the $74,791 average annual salary of an associate design engineer.
The top three skills for an associate design engineer include design engineering, CAD and autocad. The most important skills for an electrical design engineer are electrical design, revit, and electrical systems.
| Associate Design Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,791 | $83,944 |
| Hourly rate | $35.96 | $40.36 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 108,860 | 87,121 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
An Associate Design Engineer is a specialist focused on the engineering process design for various engineering disciplines, such as mechanical, electrical, or structural. Duties include designing and coordinating projects, conducting model making and product testing, identifying new processes that promote cost-savings, efficiency, and quality, and assisting the director in contract bidding. They are also involved in resource forecasting, budgeting, and technical report writing. An associate design engineer liaises with clients, contractors, and colleagues to ensure the project is delivered according to the timeline.
An electrical design engineer develops electrical systems for different applications. Electrical design engineers create system layouts and specifications. They test the systems and make some adjustments whenever necessary. The solutions they create range from component designs to large systems. The set of skills imperative for this job include good technical abilities, teamwork, motivation for extra work hours, ability to execute job under pressure, and enthusiasm. They should also be savvy in technology and innovation.
Associate design engineers and electrical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Design Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,791 | $83,944 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $95,000 | Between $63,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Washington |
| Best paying company | Silicon Labs | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between an associate design engineer and an electrical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Associate Design Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between associate design engineers' and electrical design engineers' demographics:
| Associate Design Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.3% Female, 15.7% | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |