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The differences between junior design engineers and senior 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 junior design engineer and a senior engineer. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $59,383 average annual salary of a junior design engineer.
The top three skills for a junior design engineer include engineering drawings, solidworks and auto cad. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Junior Design Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $59,383 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $28.55 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 122,180 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Junior Design Engineers are responsible for providing design assistance and administrative engineering support for an organization. Their duties include designing 3-dimensional models and prototypes, producing detailed drawings, assisting in tender proposal submissions, and documentation for product compliance. They are responsible for managing product literature and crib sheets and generating bills of material (BOM). Junior design engineers also assist in defining product specifications and liaise with stakeholders to obtain design approval. They must possess knowledge in using design software such as AutoCAD, Visualize, and Solidworks.
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Junior design engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Design Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $59,383 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $86,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Micron Technology | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a junior design engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Design Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between junior design engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Junior Design Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.2% Female, 12.8% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |