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The differences between junior design engineers and staff 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 staff engineer. Additionally, a staff engineer has an average salary of $107,530, 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 staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Junior Design Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $59,383 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $28.55 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 122,180 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| 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.
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
Junior design engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Design Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $59,383 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $86,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Micron Technology | Flexport |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a junior design engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Design Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between junior design engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Junior Design Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.2% Female, 12.8% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| 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, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |