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The differences between electrical engineers and aerospace 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 engineer, becoming an aerospace engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an aerospace engineer has an average salary of $100,401, which is higher than the $81,026 average annual salary of an electrical engineer.
The top three skills for an electrical engineer include autocad, electrical systems and UL. The most important skills for an aerospace engineer are C++, DOD, and FAA.
| Electrical Engineer | Aerospace Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $81,026 | $100,401 |
| Hourly rate | $38.95 | $48.27 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 68,536 | 42,086 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Electrical engineers are responsible for designing and developing new electrical systems, solving issues, and testing equipment. They work on various technologies, including telecommunication systems, satellite communications, and electrical power stations. Electrical engineers study and apply the mathematics and physics of electromagnetism, electronics, and electricity to small and large-scale electrical systems to transmit energy and process information. They often work with all types of electronic devices, such as supercomputers and power transmission. They also work in the emerging field of microelectronics.
An aerospace engineer specializes in designing, maintaining, and repairing aircraft and spacecraft. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting tests and procedures to identify faults and inconsistencies, lead production processes, performing repairs and improvements, designing systems, and ensuring that all equipment complies with the safety regulations and standards. They are also responsible for producing technical materials such as reports, proposals, and manuals. Furthermore, there are instances where they must set the policies and standards on the equipment they are developing while utilizing their expertise in mathematics, engineering, and sciences.
Electrical engineers and aerospace engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Engineer | Aerospace Engineer | |
| Average salary | $81,026 | $100,401 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $109,000 | Between $71,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redmond, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Arizona |
| Best paying company | Apple | Thrush Aircraft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an electrical engineer and an aerospace engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Engineer | Aerospace Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Aerospace Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between electrical engineers' and aerospace engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Engineer | Aerospace Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 11.0% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |