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The differences between design manufacturing engineers and staff 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 manufacturing engineer and a staff engineer. Additionally, a staff engineer has an average salary of $107,530, which is higher than the $102,492 average annual salary of a design manufacturing engineer.
The top three skills for a design manufacturing engineer include CNC, continuous improvement and GD. The most important skills for a staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Design Manufacturing Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $102,492 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $49.27 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 127,555 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A design manufacturing engineer specializes in designing and developing manufacturing systems and equipment. They primarily conduct research and analyses, develop drafts and prototypes, set and implement test systems, troubleshoot issues, and maintain extensive records. They may also assess existing systems to identify their weaknesses and strengths, fix or repair components, perform adjustments, and provide technical support to staff as necessary. Moreover, a design manufacturing engineer empowers staff to reach goals and implements safety standards and policies for a safe and productive work environment.
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
Design manufacturing engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Manufacturing Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $102,492 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $147,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Flexport |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a design manufacturing engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Design Manufacturing Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between design manufacturing engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Design Manufacturing Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 12.6% White, 69.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |