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The differences between lead field engineers and senior field engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a lead field engineer, becoming a senior field engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior field engineer has an average salary of $97,104, which is higher than the $72,264 average annual salary of a lead field engineer.
The top three skills for a lead field engineer include project management, customer satisfaction and logistics. The most important skills for a senior field engineer are RF, technical support, and excellent interpersonal.
| Lead Field Engineer | Senior Field Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $72,264 | $97,104 |
| Hourly rate | $34.74 | $46.68 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 63,711 | 86,767 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 2 |
A lead field engineer tests, commissions, programs, troubleshoot, repairs, retrofits, and installs voltage power system devices. A lead field engineer also tests, commissions, troubleshoot, repairs, erects, upgrades, and vacuum-fills various transformers. Besides testing, commissioning, troubleshooting, repairing, erecting, and upgrading various voltage ratings and switchgear, a lead field engineer also schedules and executes projects on-budget and within the agreed timeline. Moreover, a lead field engineer identifies and implements standardization and improvement processes and costs to improve cost productivity.
A senior field engineer is in charge of overseeing and providing technical support on-site, helping operations run smoothly and efficiently. Among their responsibilities include performing installations and upgrades, performing research and analysis, managing staff, producing progress reports, and conducting inspections, ensuring compliance with state laws and regulations. They must also perform regular maintenance checks on equipment, performing corrective repairs and adjustments when necessary. Furthermore, as a senior field engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to junior engineers while implementing the site's safety policies and regulations.
Lead field engineers and senior field engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Field Engineer | Senior Field Engineer | |
| Average salary | $72,264 | $97,104 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $98,000 | Between $67,000 And $139,000 |
| Highest paying City | Las Vegas, NV | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a lead field engineer and a senior field engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Field Engineer | Senior Field Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between lead field engineers' and senior field engineers' demographics:
| Lead Field Engineer | Senior Field Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.4% Female, 4.6% | Male, 95.1% Female, 4.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.2% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |