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The differences between electronics engineers and electrical design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an electronics engineer, becoming an electrical design engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an electronics engineer has an average salary of $93,985, which is higher than the $83,944 average annual salary of an electrical design engineer.
The top three skills for an electronics engineer include analog, RF and power electronics. The most important skills for an electrical design engineer are electrical design, revit, and electrical systems.
| Electronics Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $93,985 | $83,944 |
| Hourly rate | $45.19 | $40.36 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 83,870 | 87,121 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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.
An electrical design engineer develops electrical systems for different applications. Electrical design engineers create system layouts and specifications. They test the systems and make some adjustments whenever necessary. The solutions they create range from component designs to large systems. The set of skills imperative for this job include good technical abilities, teamwork, motivation for extra work hours, ability to execute job under pressure, and enthusiasm. They should also be savvy in technology and innovation.
Electronics engineers and electrical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electronics Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $93,985 | $83,944 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $129,000 | Between $63,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an electronics engineer and an electrical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electronics Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between electronics engineers' and electrical design engineers' demographics:
| Electronics Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% |
| 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, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |