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The differences between electrical engineers lead and field 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 lead and a field engineer. Additionally, an electrical engineer lead has an average salary of $111,251, which is higher than the $71,874 average annual salary of a field engineer.
The top three skills for an electrical engineer lead include electrical engineering, autocad and engineering design. The most important skills for a field engineer are customer service, customer satisfaction, and project management.
| Electrical Engineer Lead | Field Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $111,251 | $71,874 |
| Hourly rate | $53.49 | $34.55 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 82,196 | 86,015 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An electrical engineer lead is an engineering professional who works with clients and internal engineers to establish project requirements and work on multiple electrical projects. Electrical engineer leads provide the cost estimation of electrical projects and prepare budget proposals as well as assign personnel with the capabilities required to complete the assigned tasks. They are required to review the calculation methods to ensure that they comply with all regulatory and project requirements. Electrical engineer leads must also accurately check the electrical design calculations for electrical loads, short circuit, and voltage drop using standard electrical engineering software.
A field engineer's role will vary on the industry or line of work involved. However, the primary responsibility will mostly revolve around handling equipment and machinery, ensuring that they function effectively and safely. It is also the task of a field engineer to oversee the workflow and workforce, giving directions and recommendations when necessary. Furthermore, a field engineer must develop strategies and plans to improve the site's efficiency, produce progress reports, and coordinate with other workers.
Electrical engineers lead and field engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Engineer Lead | Field Engineer | |
| Average salary | $111,251 | $71,874 |
| Salary range | Between $83,000 And $148,000 | Between $51,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Energy |
There are a few differences between an electrical engineer lead and a field engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Engineer Lead | Field Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between electrical engineers lead' and field engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Engineer Lead | Field Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 92.7% Female, 7.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |