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The differences between engineers and designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an engineer, becoming a designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an engineer has an average salary of $92,077, which is higher than the $66,347 average annual salary of a designer.
The top three skills for an engineer include python, cloud and C++. The most important skills for a designer are sketch, customer service, and graphic design.
| Engineer | Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,077 | $66,347 |
| Hourly rate | $44.27 | $31.90 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 618,207 | 52,433 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.33 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
A designer is someone who creates a master plan of the look or workings of something before it will be made. It could be tangible or intangible objects, products, procedures, laws, events, games, graphics, services, and even experiences. Designers are creative thinkers with a great eye to configure the skeletal and structural properties of the targeted output. They work in several fields, such as fashion, architecture, web graphics, and user experience. In spite of the variety of professionals in the design industry, all of them are artistic, passionate, inspiring, and emotionally connected to their projects and brands.
Engineers and designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineer | Designer | |
| Average salary | $92,077 | $66,347 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $130,000 | Between $45,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Huntsville, AL | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Washington |
| Best paying company | Fort Bend County | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between an engineer and a designer in terms of educational background:
| Engineer | Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between engineers' and designers' demographics:
| Engineer | Designer | |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 13% |