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The differences between electrical engineers and electrical design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an electrical engineer and an electrical design engineer. Additionally, an electrical design engineer has an average salary of $83,944, 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 electrical design engineer are electrical design, revit, and electrical systems.
| Electrical Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $81,026 | $83,944 |
| Hourly rate | $38.95 | $40.36 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 68,536 | 87,121 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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 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.
Electrical engineers and electrical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $81,026 | $83,944 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $109,000 | Between $63,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redmond, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an electrical engineer and an electrical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between electrical engineers' and electrical design engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% |
| 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, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |