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The differences between distribution engineers and planning engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a distribution engineer, becoming a planning engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a planning engineer has an average salary of $82,521, 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 a planning engineer are project management, infrastructure, and transmission planning.
| Distribution Engineer | Planning Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $77,713 | $82,521 |
| Hourly rate | $37.36 | $39.67 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 56,779 | 56,792 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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.
A planning engineer is in charge of developing plans and systems to organize and schedule project procedures, ensuring efficiency and timeliness. Their responsibilities revolve around learning and understanding the extent of all operations, setting schedules and objectives, liaising with external parties such as vendors or distributors, and maintaining an active communication line with other departments. Furthermore, a planning engineer must monitor the progress of the workflow and the performance of the workforce, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Distribution engineers and planning engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Distribution Engineer | Planning Engineer | |
| Average salary | $77,713 | $82,521 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $129,000 | Between $61,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a distribution engineer and a planning engineer in terms of educational background:
| Distribution Engineer | Planning Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between distribution engineers' and planning engineers' demographics:
| Distribution Engineer | Planning Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% |
| 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, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 15.6% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 4% |