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The differences between electrical design engineers and lead design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an electrical design engineer, becoming a lead design engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a lead design engineer has an average salary of $108,490, which is higher than the $83,944 average annual salary of an electrical design engineer.
The top three skills for an electrical design engineer include electrical design, revit and electrical systems. The most important skills for a lead design engineer are CAD, project management, and lead design.
| Electrical Design Engineer | Lead Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $83,944 | $108,490 |
| Hourly rate | $40.36 | $52.16 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 87,121 | 118,073 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
An electrical design engineer develops electrical systems for different applications. Electrical design engineers create system layouts and specifications. They test the systems and make some adjustments whenever necessary. The solutions they create range from component designs to large systems. The set of skills imperative for this job include good technical abilities, teamwork, motivation for extra work hours, ability to execute job under pressure, and enthusiasm. They should also be savvy in technology and innovation.
A Lead Design Engineer produces design solutions that can be purchased, installed, and commissioned effectively. They are also responsible for the cost-effectiviness and safety of new designs.
Electrical design engineers and lead design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Design Engineer | Lead Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $83,944 | $108,490 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $110,000 | Between $82,000 And $143,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Agriculture |
There are a few differences between an electrical design engineer and a lead design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Design Engineer | Lead Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between electrical design engineers' and lead design engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Design Engineer | Lead Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% | Male, 90.9% Female, 9.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 15.5% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |