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The differences between distribution engineers and instrumentation engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a distribution engineer and an instrumentation engineer. Additionally, an instrumentation engineer has an average salary of $88,783, which is higher than the $77,713 average annual salary of a distribution engineer.
The top three skills for a distribution engineer include aided design, GIS and CAD. The most important skills for an instrumentation engineer are PLC, autocad, and analyzers.
| Distribution Engineer | Instrumentation Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $77,713 | $88,783 |
| Hourly rate | $37.36 | $42.68 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 56,779 | 45,735 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The duties of a distribution engineer depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around installing and repairing power distribution systems, understanding blueprints, devising strategies to optimize performances, coordinating with different engineers and technicians, and developing new power systems. They must also perform regular maintenance checks to ensure the efficiency and quality of distribution systems. Furthermore, as an engineer, it is essential to implement the company's policies and regulations to maintain a safe and productive work environment for everyone.
An instrumentation engineer specializes in designing and developing equipment to optimize business processes. Their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to identify the needs of a company, coordinating with different departments to gather data, devising strategies to create new processes, and preparing reports and presentations for the executives. An instrumentation engineer mostly performs installations and repairs; they also conduct regular maintenance to ensure the efficiency of facilities. Furthermore, they must answer inquiries and resolve issues and concerns, all in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.
Distribution engineers and instrumentation engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Distribution Engineer | Instrumentation Engineer | |
| Average salary | $77,713 | $88,783 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $129,000 | Between $65,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Government |
There are a few differences between a distribution engineer and an instrumentation engineer in terms of educational background:
| Distribution Engineer | Instrumentation Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between distribution engineers' and instrumentation engineers' demographics:
| Distribution Engineer | Instrumentation Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |