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The differences between firmware engineers and embedded systems 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 embedded systems engineer. Additionally, a firmware engineer has an average salary of $97,183, which is higher than the $91,959 average annual salary of an embedded systems engineer.
The top three skills for a firmware engineer include python, C and C++. The most important skills for an embedded systems engineer are embedded systems, python, and software development.
| Firmware Engineer | Embedded Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,183 | $91,959 |
| Hourly rate | $46.72 | $44.21 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 99,014 | 77,484 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| 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.
An embedded systems engineer is responsible for monitoring and creating embedded network systems and servers to support business operations. Embedded systems engineers run multiple diagnostic tests to identify technical solutions that would increase the efficiency and stability of the systems. They must have excellent technical skills for network resolution, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes to write scripts and generate support for data integration. An embedded systems engineer updates infrastructure to boost optimization and identify opportunities for enhancing engineering techniques.
Firmware engineers and embedded systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Firmware Engineer | Embedded Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,183 | $91,959 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $129,000 | Between $70,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Professional |
There are a few differences between a firmware engineer and an embedded systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Firmware Engineer | Embedded Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between firmware engineers' and embedded systems engineers' demographics:
| Firmware Engineer | Embedded Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.4% Female, 11.6% | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% |
| 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, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 30.6% White, 51.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |