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The differences between associate design engineers and staff engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an associate design engineer and a staff engineer. Additionally, a staff engineer has an average salary of $107,530, 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 a staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Associate Design Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,791 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $35.96 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 108,860 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
Associate design engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Design Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,791 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $95,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Silicon Labs | Flexport |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an associate design engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Associate Design Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between associate design engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Associate Design Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.3% Female, 15.7% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |