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The differences between lighting engineers and junior engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a lighting engineer, becoming a junior engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a lighting engineer has an average salary of $85,362, which is higher than the $70,653 average annual salary of a junior engineer.
The top three skills for a lighting engineer include A/V, technical aspects and STARS. The most important skills for a junior engineer are control systems, java, and C++.
| Lighting Engineer | Junior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,362 | $70,653 |
| Hourly rate | $41.04 | $33.97 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 38,070 | 107,703 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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.
A Junior Engineer helps design, build, or maintain engines, machines, or public works. They work under the supervision of an engineer.
Lighting engineers and junior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lighting Engineer | Junior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,362 | $70,653 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $117,000 | Between $54,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lighting engineer and a junior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lighting Engineer | Junior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between lighting engineers' and junior engineers' demographics:
| Lighting Engineer | Junior Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.5% Female, 6.5% | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |