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The differences between failure analysis engineers and staff engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a failure analysis 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 $91,071 average annual salary of a failure analysis engineer.
The top three skills for a failure analysis engineer include corrective action, failure analysis and data analysis. The most important skills for a staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Failure Analysis Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,071 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $43.78 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 43,275 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A failure analysis engineer is responsible for conducting quality control checks on operational business processes, identifying inconsistencies and errors, and writing recommendations to address failures and increase efficiency. Failure analysis engineers analyze incident reports of operational issues, assisting the technology team in designing high-performing software applications and network systems to support business functions and requirements. They also support the end-users in resolving issues, writing resolution, and creating instructional manuals for reference. A failure analysis engineer should have excellent technical skills, as well as intensive knowledge of engineering products and services.
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.
Failure analysis engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Failure Analysis Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $91,071 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $124,000 | 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 | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a failure analysis engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Failure Analysis Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between failure analysis engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Failure Analysis Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.7% Female, 16.3% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 65.7% 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 | 4% | 5% |