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The differences between industrial electricians and electrical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an industrial electrician, becoming an electrical engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an electrical engineer has an average salary of $81,026, which is higher than the $62,533 average annual salary of an industrial electrician.
The top three skills for an industrial electrician include electrical equipment, hand tools and ac. The most important skills for an electrical engineer are autocad, electrical systems, and UL.
| Industrial Electrician | Electrical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $62,533 | $81,026 |
| Hourly rate | $30.06 | $38.95 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 23,963 | 68,536 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
An Industrial Electrician installs, maintains, and repairs electrical systems in industrial facilities. They are usually part of a construction team to put in and check new equipment and systems.
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.
Industrial electricians and electrical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Industrial Electrician | Electrical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $62,533 | $81,026 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $82,000 | Between $59,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Saint Paul, MN | Redmond, WA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Washington Post | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between an industrial electrician and an electrical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Industrial Electrician | Electrical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between industrial electricians' and electrical engineers' demographics:
| Industrial Electrician | Electrical Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 2.2% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | 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 | 3% | 6% |