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The differences between electrical systems engineers and system 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 systems engineer and a system design engineer. Additionally, a system design engineer has an average salary of $107,704, which is higher than the $86,969 average annual salary of an electrical systems engineer.
The top three skills for an electrical systems engineer include electrical engineering, electrical systems and system design. The most important skills for a system design engineer are system design, architecture, and MATLAB.
| Electrical Systems Engineer | System Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $86,969 | $107,704 |
| Hourly rate | $41.81 | $51.78 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 149,053 | 113,582 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Electrical Systems Engineers have licensed engineers who are usually employed in companies involved in power generating machines and activities. These companies are usually providers for buildings, train systems, and automobiles, among others. The engineer designs power lines and machinations to generate power. They ensure that power is properly distributed throughout the system. They identify risks involving short circuits and the like. They would then look for ways to mitigate these risks and apply the necessary controls. Electrical Systems Engineers should have strong analytical skills and quick decision-making skills.
A system design engineer is an individual who participates in system design engineering and resolves manufacturing and service problems. System design engineers are required to collaborate with the system design team to research emerging technologies and develop new capabilities. They create design layouts by utilizing the use of CAD software such as AutoCad as well as supervise a group of CAD technicians. System design engineers must also provide customer service in the field and deliver individualized problem solving and system design support
Electrical systems engineers and system design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Systems Engineer | System Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $86,969 | $107,704 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $113,000 | Between $77,000 And $149,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an electrical systems engineer and a system design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Systems Engineer | System Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between electrical systems engineers' and system design engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Systems Engineer | System Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 15.4% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |