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The differences between circuit design engineers and system 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 a circuit design engineer, becoming a system design engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a system design engineer has an average salary of $107,704, which is higher than the $107,694 average annual salary of a circuit design engineer.
The top three skills for a circuit design engineer include circuit design, CMOS and RF. The most important skills for a system design engineer are system design, architecture, and MATLAB.
| Circuit Design Engineer | System Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,694 | $107,704 |
| Hourly rate | $51.78 | $51.78 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 70,906 | 113,582 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A circuit design engineer specializes in designing and developing electrical components and circuits in devices and machinery. Among their responsibilities include identifying the needs of every project, developing strategies to attain optimal quality, developing diagrams and test structures, troubleshooting, and repairing issues. They must also perform regular maintenance checks on existing systems and perform upgrades and corrective measures as needed. Moreover, a circuit design engineer typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
A system design engineer is an individual who participates in system design engineering and resolves manufacturing and service problems. System design engineers are required to collaborate with the system design team to research emerging technologies and develop new capabilities. They create design layouts by utilizing the use of CAD software such as AutoCad as well as supervise a group of CAD technicians. System design engineers must also provide customer service in the field and deliver individualized problem solving and system design support
Circuit design engineers and system design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Circuit Design Engineer | System Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,694 | $107,704 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $137,000 | Between $77,000 And $149,000 |
| Highest paying City | Federal Way, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a circuit design engineer and a system design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Circuit Design Engineer | System Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between circuit design engineers' and system design engineers' demographics:
| Circuit Design Engineer | System Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.4% Female, 25.6% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 19.9% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 15.4% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |