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The differences between electrical & instrumentation designers and associate electrical 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 & instrumentation designer and an associate electrical engineer. Additionally, an electrical & instrumentation designer has an average salary of $81,188, which is higher than the $71,773 average annual salary of an associate electrical engineer.
The top three skills for an electrical & instrumentation designer include PLC, instrumentation design and control systems. The most important skills for an associate electrical engineer are electrical components, electrical equipment, and RF.
| Electrical & Instrumentation Designer | Associate Electrical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $81,188 | $71,773 |
| Hourly rate | $39.03 | $34.51 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 81,243 | 31,707 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An electrical instrumentation designer's main job is to design instruments that can be used in various areas such as laboratories, power plants, or research institutes. They work together with a team or individually to design instruments, create a prototype, and test its functions. They can even install these instruments in different establishments and locations. They are tasked with repair and training engineers. At other times, they are assigned to record expenses and other documentation.
An associate electrical engineer is responsible for organizing and developing electrical systems, improving existing components, and designing infrastructure under the guidance of the senior electrical engineer. Associate electrical engineers identify cost-reduction materials and analyze current electrical industry trends to determine efficient products and equipment that support public demands and industrial use. They collaborate testing methods with the engineering team, suggest project improvement techniques, and perform quality assurance procedures to stabilize the electrical system's optimal performance.
Electrical & instrumentation designers and associate electrical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical & Instrumentation Designer | Associate Electrical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $81,188 | $71,773 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $109,000 | Between $51,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | - | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between an electrical & instrumentation designer and an associate electrical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical & Instrumentation Designer | Associate Electrical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between electrical & instrumentation designers' and associate electrical engineers' demographics:
| Electrical & Instrumentation Designer | Associate Electrical Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8% | Male, 86.6% Female, 13.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |