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The differences between design engineer interns and lead design 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 design engineer internship and a lead design engineer. Additionally, a lead design engineer has an average salary of $108,490, which is higher than the $55,346 average annual salary of a design engineer internship.
The top three skills for a design engineer internship include python, RF and C++. The most important skills for a lead design engineer are CAD, project management, and lead design.
| Design Engineer Internship | Lead Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $55,346 | $108,490 |
| Hourly rate | $26.61 | $52.16 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 139,842 | 118,073 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
When it comes to a design engineer internship, an intern is primarily responsible for performing support tasks while under the supervision and directives of a manager or a more experienced engineer. Their duties typically revolve around processing documents, updating records and populating databases, responding to inquiries and correspondence, running errands, sharing insights, and even participating in designing projects. Furthermore, as an intern, it is essential to report to the supervising manager and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
A Lead Design Engineer produces design solutions that can be purchased, installed, and commissioned effectively. They are also responsible for the cost-effectiviness and safety of new designs.
Design engineer interns and lead design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Engineer Internship | Lead Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $55,346 | $108,490 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $79,000 | Between $82,000 And $143,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cupertino, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Ampere | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Agriculture |
There are a few differences between a design engineer internship and a lead design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Design Engineer Internship | Lead Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between design engineer interns' and lead design engineers' demographics:
| Design Engineer Internship | Lead Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.1% Female, 15.9% | Male, 90.9% Female, 9.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 15.5% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |