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The differences between electrical contractors and electrical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become an electrical contractor, becoming an electrical engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an electrical engineer has an average salary of $81,026, which is higher than the $66,405 average annual salary of an electrical contractor.
The top three skills for an electrical contractor include electrical conduit, electrical systems and transformers. The most important skills for an electrical engineer are autocad, electrical systems, and UL.
| Electrical Contractor | Electrical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $66,405 | $81,026 |
| Hourly rate | $31.93 | $38.95 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 46,437 | 68,536 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 2 |
Electrical contractors and electrical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Contractor | Electrical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $66,405 | $81,026 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $92,000 | Between $59,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Redmond, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between an electrical contractor and an electrical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Contractor | Electrical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between electrical contractors' and electrical engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Contractor | Electrical Engineer | |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 16.2% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |