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The differences between design release 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 release engineer and a staff engineer. Additionally, a staff engineer has an average salary of $107,530, which is higher than the $98,886 average annual salary of a design release engineer.
The top three skills for a design release engineer include DFMEA, dvp r and DVP. The most important skills for a staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Design Release Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $98,886 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $47.54 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 103,172 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A design release engineer is responsible for creating and evaluating technology and mechanical designs used for commercial and industrial equipment to support business operations and customer activities. Design release engineers utilize various software applications and tools to implement design models according to business requirements and client specifications. They also identify the estimated costs and resources for the production by negotiating with trusted suppliers and vendors for materials that meet the highest quality standards. A design release engineer reviews the outputs before the launch to resolve possible issues and adjust design features as needed.
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 release engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Release Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $98,886 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $134,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Waymo | Flexport |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a design release engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Design Release Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | 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 release engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Design Release Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 15.4% White, 68.0% 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% |