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The differences between communications engineers and electronics engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a communications engineer and an electronics engineer. Additionally, an electronics engineer has an average salary of $93,985, which is higher than the $83,540 average annual salary of a communications engineer.
The top three skills for a communications engineer include RF, unified communications and unity. The most important skills for an electronics engineer are analog, RF, and power electronics.
| Communications Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $83,540 | $93,985 |
| Hourly rate | $40.16 | $45.19 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 71,942 | 83,870 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
The duties of a communications engineer depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Their responsibilities typically revolve around designing and developing new systems to optimize operations, performing research and assessments to identify company needs, determining the strengths and weaknesses of existing systems, and providing solutions on issues and concerns. Furthermore, as a communications engineer, it is essential to perform regular maintenance checks to ensure a safe and productive work environment, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
An electronics engineer specializes in designing and developing electronic components and systems, ensuring efficiency in all aspects. They are primarily responsible for conducting tests and maintenance for systems, identifying any faults or inconsistencies, and performing corrective measures right away. Moreover, an electronics engineer must coordinate with clients to consult them on their needs and meet with other skilled engineers to ensure optimal quality of equipment. An electronics engineer may also perform administrative tasks, mainly to produce progress reports and presentations, manage schedules, and craft instructional written materials for all electronic systems.
Communications engineers and electronics engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Communications Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Average salary | $83,540 | $93,985 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $111,000 | Between $68,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Shearman & Sterling | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a communications engineer and an electronics engineer in terms of educational background:
| Communications Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between communications engineers' and electronics engineers' demographics:
| Communications Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 15.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |