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The differences between electrical engineers lead and staff 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 staff engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an electrical engineer lead has an average salary of $111,251, which is higher than the $107,530 average annual salary of a staff engineer.
The top three skills for an electrical engineer lead include electrical engineering, autocad and engineering design. The most important skills for a staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Electrical Engineer Lead | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $111,251 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $53.49 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 82,196 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| 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.
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
Electrical engineers lead and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Engineer Lead | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $111,251 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $83,000 And $148,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Flexport | |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an electrical engineer lead and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Engineer Lead | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| 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 staff engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Engineer Lead | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| 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, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |