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The differences between electrical test engineers and contracting 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 test engineer, becoming a contracting engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a contracting engineer has an average salary of $122,620, which is higher than the $74,723 average annual salary of an electrical test engineer.
The top three skills for an electrical test engineer include data analysis, labview and C++. The most important skills for a contracting engineer are C++, C #, and R.
| Electrical Test Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,723 | $122,620 |
| Hourly rate | $35.92 | $58.95 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 69,793 | 115,631 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
An electrical test engineer specializes in developing test structures to ensure the quality and efficiency of electrical systems and equipment. Among their responsibilities include understanding and identifying the needs of electrical projects, troubleshooting errors, gathering and analyzing materials to find defects and inconsistencies, conducting tests and examinations, and analyzing test results. Moreover, an electrical test engineer must also study and identify the root of problems, recommending and implementing solutions while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
A contracting engineer specializes in overseeing engineering projects, focusing on the legalities of contracts between clients and engineers to ensure fairness in all parties involved. Most of their duties are administrative, such as gathering and analyzing data, conducting research and analyses, setting budgets and guidelines, drafting commercial tenders and other paperwork, maintaining records, and executing contracts. They are also responsible for handling contract issues and concerns, solving them promptly and efficiently. Additionally, a contracting engineer maintains an open communication line with all parties to ensure a smooth workflow.
Electrical test engineers and contracting engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Test Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,723 | $122,620 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $98,000 | Between $86,000 And $173,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Meta | EquiLend |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Professional |
There are a few differences between an electrical test engineer and a contracting engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Test Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between electrical test engineers' and contracting engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Test Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.4% Female, 8.6% | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |