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The differences between electrical test engineers 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 test engineer, becoming a staff engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a staff engineer has an average salary of $107,530, 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 staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Electrical Test Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,723 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $35.92 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 69,793 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| 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.
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 test engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Test Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,723 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $98,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Flexport |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an electrical test engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Test Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | 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 test engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Test Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.4% Female, 8.6% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| 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, 3.1% 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% |