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The differences between field electrical engineers and electrical design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a field electrical engineer and an electrical design engineer. Additionally, a field electrical engineer has an average salary of $86,347, which is higher than the $83,944 average annual salary of an electrical design engineer.
The top three skills for a field electrical engineer include electrical systems, oil gas and control systems. The most important skills for an electrical design engineer are electrical design, revit, and electrical systems.
| Field Electrical Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $86,347 | $83,944 |
| Hourly rate | $41.51 | $40.36 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 97,684 | 87,121 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Buildings must be safe especially in term of wirings for electricity. This aspect is the main job of a field electrical engineer. Possessing enough mathematical, chemistry and physics knowledge, they work hand in hand with construction workers to develop safe and equitable electrical system of any building. They also test machines for any defect and design and develop new systems to further enhance safety. They have the necessary ability to solve any damage to equipment.
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.
Field electrical engineers and electrical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Electrical Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $86,347 | $83,944 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $111,000 | Between $63,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a field electrical engineer and an electrical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Field Electrical 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 | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between field electrical engineers' and electrical design engineers' demographics:
| Field Electrical Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.2% 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% |