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The differences between electrical engineers and contracting 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 a contracting engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a contracting engineer has an average salary of $122,620, 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 a contracting engineer are C++, C #, and R.
| Electrical Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $81,026 | $122,620 |
| Hourly rate | $38.95 | $58.95 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 68,536 | 115,631 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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.
A contracting engineer specializes in overseeing engineering projects, focusing on the legalities of contracts between clients and engineers to ensure fairness in all parties involved. Most of their duties are administrative, such as gathering and analyzing data, conducting research and analyses, setting budgets and guidelines, drafting commercial tenders and other paperwork, maintaining records, and executing contracts. They are also responsible for handling contract issues and concerns, solving them promptly and efficiently. Additionally, a contracting engineer maintains an open communication line with all parties to ensure a smooth workflow.
Electrical engineers and contracting engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Average salary | $81,026 | $122,620 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $109,000 | Between $86,000 And $173,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redmond, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New York |
| Best paying company | Apple | EquiLend |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Professional |
There are a few differences between an electrical engineer and a contracting engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between electrical engineers' and contracting engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% |
| 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, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |