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The differences between electrical engineers lead and senior 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 lead, becoming a senior engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an electrical engineer lead has an average salary of $111,251, which is higher than the $108,743 average annual salary of a senior engineer.
The top three skills for an electrical engineer lead include electrical engineering, autocad and engineering design. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Electrical Engineer Lead | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $111,251 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $53.49 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 82,196 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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 senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Electrical engineers lead and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Engineer Lead | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $111,251 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $83,000 And $148,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Roku | |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an electrical engineer lead and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Engineer Lead | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between electrical engineers lead' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Engineer Lead | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |