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The differences between lighting engineers and electrical project engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a lighting engineer and an electrical project engineer. Additionally, a lighting engineer has an average salary of $85,362, which is higher than the $84,342 average annual salary of an electrical project engineer.
The top three skills for a lighting engineer include A/V, technical aspects and STARS. The most important skills for an electrical project engineer are project management, autocad, and PLC.
| Lighting Engineer | Electrical Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,362 | $84,342 |
| Hourly rate | $41.04 | $40.55 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 38,070 | 67,802 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A lighting engineer oversees everything that is happening in a tv show, concert, play, or theater production. This is the person responsible for ensuring that the lighting and the visual effects are operating just right. Their skills are essential because this will set the mood for the audience with the lighting effects that they provide. Also, they monitor the work of the flight crew and technicians.
Electrical Project Engineers have licensed engineers involved in a project which specifically works on electrical or electricity-related concerns. They design the electrical systems that are needed for the success of the project. They draw up these systems using software and identify the materials needed to create these. They would then develop these systems by creating them using the materials and test if their design is working. Once they validate the design works and address the project's needs, electrical project engineers would work on controlling, maintaining, and repairing these systems as needed.
Lighting engineers and electrical project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lighting Engineer | Electrical Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,362 | $84,342 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $117,000 | Between $64,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Apple | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a lighting engineer and an electrical project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lighting Engineer | Electrical Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between lighting engineers' and electrical project engineers' demographics:
| Lighting Engineer | Electrical Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.5% Female, 6.5% | Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |