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The differences between graduate engineers and design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a graduate engineer and a design engineer. Additionally, a design engineer has an average salary of $77,134, which is higher than the $70,395 average annual salary of a graduate engineer.
The top three skills for a graduate engineer include civil 3d, cost estimates and project management. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Graduate Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,395 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $33.84 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 98,584 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A graduate engineer can work in different engineering subspecialties, such as mechanical, civil, chemical, aerospace, and electrical. Most graduate engineers work on projects while under the supervision and directives of a supervisor or senior engineer. Their duties usually involve identifying and understanding project requirements, conducting research and assessments, completing surveys, and preparing models using different tools and software. Additionally, a graduate engineer can also create designs and prototypes according to project requirements and guidelines, producing regular progress reports for supervisors.
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
Graduate engineers and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graduate Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,395 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $89,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a graduate engineer and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Graduate Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between graduate engineers' and design engineers' demographics:
| Graduate Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.3% Female, 22.7% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 24.9% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |