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The differences between associate design engineers and student 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 student engineer. Additionally, an associate design engineer has an average salary of $74,791, which is higher than the $71,947 average annual salary of a student engineer.
The top three skills for an associate design engineer include design engineering, CAD and autocad. The most important skills for a student engineer are GPA, C++, and CAD.
| Associate Design Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,791 | $71,947 |
| Hourly rate | $35.96 | $34.59 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 108,860 | 98,036 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| 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.
A student engineer is an individual who trains to become a full pledge professional engineer by gaining working experience in the field of engineering. By using their knowledge in the principles of science and mathematics, student engineers should help other professionals develop economical solutions and solve technical problems. They are required to engage themselves in the testing, production, or maintenance of newly developed products. Student engineers are also required to work closely with their senior managers or supervisors.
Associate design engineers and student engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Design Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,791 | $71,947 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $95,000 | Between $54,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Yakima, WA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Washington |
| Best paying company | Silicon Labs | JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an associate design engineer and a student engineer in terms of educational background:
| Associate Design Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between associate design engineers' and student engineers' demographics:
| Associate Design Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.3% Female, 15.7% | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 15.9% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |