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The differences between field 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 engineer and an electrical design engineer. Additionally, an electrical design engineer has an average salary of $83,944, which is higher than the $71,874 average annual salary of a field engineer.
The top three skills for a field engineer include customer service, customer satisfaction and project management. The most important skills for an electrical design engineer are electrical design, revit, and electrical systems.
| Field Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $71,874 | $83,944 |
| Hourly rate | $34.55 | $40.36 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 86,015 | 87,121 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A field engineer's role will vary on the industry or line of work involved. However, the primary responsibility will mostly revolve around handling equipment and machinery, ensuring that they function effectively and safely. It is also the task of a field engineer to oversee the workflow and workforce, giving directions and recommendations when necessary. Furthermore, a field engineer must develop strategies and plans to improve the site's efficiency, produce progress reports, and coordinate with other workers.
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 engineers and electrical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $71,874 | $83,944 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $99,000 | Between $63,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a field engineer and an electrical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Field Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between field engineers' and electrical design engineers' demographics:
| Field Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.7% Female, 7.3% | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.4% 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% |