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The differences between electronics engineers and software 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 a software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software engineer has an average salary of $100,260, which is higher than the $93,985 average annual salary of an electronics engineer.
The top three skills for an electronics engineer include analog, RF and power electronics. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Electronics Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $93,985 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $45.19 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 83,870 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
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 software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Electronics engineers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electronics Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $93,985 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $129,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an electronics engineer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electronics Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between electronics engineers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Electronics Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |