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The differences between electronics engineers and cost engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an electronics engineer and a cost engineer. Additionally, an electronics engineer has an average salary of $93,985, which is higher than the $87,901 average annual salary of a cost engineer.
The top three skills for an electronics engineer include analog, RF and power electronics. The most important skills for a cost engineer are project management, cost analysis, and construction management.
| Electronics Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $93,985 | $87,901 |
| Hourly rate | $45.19 | $42.26 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 83,870 | 65,278 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An electronics engineer specializes in designing and developing electronic components and systems, ensuring efficiency in all aspects. They are primarily responsible for conducting tests and maintenance for systems, identifying any faults or inconsistencies, and performing corrective measures right away. Moreover, an electronics engineer must coordinate with clients to consult them on their needs and meet with other skilled engineers to ensure optimal quality of equipment. An electronics engineer may also perform administrative tasks, mainly to produce progress reports and presentations, manage schedules, and craft instructional written materials for all electronic systems.
A cost engineer is responsible for projecting cost and expenses reports for the production process, identify and mitigate risks, and develop strategic techniques to reduce the excessive financial loss for project buildings. Cost engineers conduct data and statistical analysis to measure time deliverables and quality checks to ensure profitability and adherence to business objectives. They research and negotiate materials from trusted suppliers and vendors with high-quality products that would meet construction designs and client specifications.
Electronics engineers and cost engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electronics Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average salary | $93,985 | $87,901 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $129,000 | Between $64,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Meta | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between an electronics engineer and a cost engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electronics Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between electronics engineers' and cost engineers' demographics:
| Electronics Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 15.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |