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The differences between firmware engineers and electrical 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 firmware engineer and an electrical engineer. Additionally, a firmware engineer has an average salary of $97,183, which is higher than the $81,026 average annual salary of an electrical engineer.
The top three skills for a firmware engineer include python, C and C++. The most important skills for an electrical engineer are autocad, electrical systems, and UL.
| Firmware Engineer | Electrical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,183 | $81,026 |
| Hourly rate | $46.72 | $38.95 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 99,014 | 68,536 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 39 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The job of firmware engineers focuses on the hardware from which the software runs. They play an important role in supporting the life cycle of products from its development to implementation. Their duties typically include testing the product properly and troubleshooting technical issues in collaboration with other engineering personnel, evaluating the performance of the system and ensuring that it adheres to the company's standards, and analyzing the design and needs of a system. Firmware engineers are also responsible for improvising the software as requested by clients.
Electrical engineers are responsible for designing and developing new electrical systems, solving issues, and testing equipment. They work on various technologies, including telecommunication systems, satellite communications, and electrical power stations. Electrical engineers study and apply the mathematics and physics of electromagnetism, electronics, and electricity to small and large-scale electrical systems to transmit energy and process information. They often work with all types of electronic devices, such as supercomputers and power transmission. They also work in the emerging field of microelectronics.
Firmware engineers and electrical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Firmware Engineer | Electrical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,183 | $81,026 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $129,000 | Between $59,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redmond, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a firmware engineer and an electrical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Firmware Engineer | Electrical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between firmware engineers' and electrical engineers' demographics:
| Firmware Engineer | Electrical Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.4% Female, 11.6% | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 31.6% White, 50.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 16.2% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |