Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between electrical test engineers and 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 test engineer and an electrical engineer. Additionally, an electrical engineer has an average salary of $81,026, 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 an electrical engineer are autocad, electrical systems, and UL.
| Electrical Test Engineer | Electrical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,723 | $81,026 |
| Hourly rate | $35.92 | $38.95 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 69,793 | 68,536 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
Electrical engineers are responsible for designing and developing new electrical systems, solving issues, and testing equipment. They work on various technologies, including telecommunication systems, satellite communications, and electrical power stations. Electrical engineers study and apply the mathematics and physics of electromagnetism, electronics, and electricity to small and large-scale electrical systems to transmit energy and process information. They often work with all types of electronic devices, such as supercomputers and power transmission. They also work in the emerging field of microelectronics.
Electrical test engineers and electrical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Test Engineer | Electrical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,723 | $81,026 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $98,000 | Between $59,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redmond, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between an electrical test engineer and an electrical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Test Engineer | Electrical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between electrical test engineers' and electrical engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Test Engineer | Electrical Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.4% Female, 8.6% | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% |
| 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, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 16.2% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |