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The differences between design engineers and equipment 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 equipment engineer. Additionally, an equipment engineer has an average salary of $97,539, 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 equipment engineer are equipment performance, semiconductor, and project management.
| Design Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $77,134 | $97,539 |
| Hourly rate | $37.08 | $46.89 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 138,173 | 108,449 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| 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.
The duties of an equipment engineer depend on one's organization or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around designing and developing mechanical and electronic equipment, analyzing and improving existing systems, performing customization according to customers' preferences, installing and removing attachments, and conducting regular maintenance procedures. An equipment engineer must also address issues and complaints, providing corrective measures promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, it is essential to coordinate with team members and other specialists, inspect and test new systems, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
Design engineers and equipment engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Average salary | $77,134 | $97,539 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $102,000 | Between $69,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Louisiana |
| Best paying company | Meta | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a design engineer and an equipment engineer in terms of educational background:
| Design Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between design engineers' and equipment engineers' demographics:
| Design Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 15.1% White, 68.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |