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The differences between design engineers and application 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 and an application engineer. Additionally, an application engineer has an average salary of $92,921, which is higher than the $77,134 average annual salary of a design engineer.
The top three skills for a design engineer include C++, UL and project management. The most important skills for an application engineer are technical support, java, and C++.
| Design Engineer | Application Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $77,134 | $92,921 |
| Hourly rate | $37.08 | $44.67 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 138,173 | 111,338 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
An application engineer is responsible for creating and re-designing system applications based on clients' specifications and sales demands. Application engineers run diagnostic tests on software programs, identify areas of improvement, install necessary updates, upgrade optimization, revise system codes, and provide technical support for customers' needs. They also generate ideas and locate other business opportunities by analyzing current trends in the technology market that would help build revenues and increase profitability for the company. An application engineer must have a strong command of programming languages, software application processes, and general technology disciplines.
Design engineers and application engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Engineer | Application Engineer | |
| Average salary | $77,134 | $92,921 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $102,000 | Between $69,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Morgan Lewis |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a design engineer and an application engineer in terms of educational background:
| Design Engineer | Application Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between design engineers' and application engineers' demographics:
| Design Engineer | Application Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 11.5% White, 74.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 7% |