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The differences between optical design engineers and electronics engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an optical design engineer and an electronics engineer. Additionally, an optical design engineer has an average salary of $94,750, which is higher than the $93,985 average annual salary of an electronics engineer.
The top three skills for an optical design engineer include optical design, MATLAB and zemax. The most important skills for an electronics engineer are analog, RF, and power electronics.
| Optical Design Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,750 | $93,985 |
| Hourly rate | $45.55 | $45.19 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 49,731 | 83,870 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An optical design engineer is an optics specialists who uses their scientific skills to design solutions and solve optical problems. Optical design engineers are essential in the field of laser technology, telescopes, optical lenses, and fiber optics. You will be responsible for designing and building devices that enable better utilization of optics technology and requires in-depth scientific optical knowledge as well as high technical design abilities. Optical design engineers are problem solvers in the field of optics.
An electronics engineer specializes in designing and developing electronic components and systems, ensuring efficiency in all aspects. They are primarily responsible for conducting tests and maintenance for systems, identifying any faults or inconsistencies, and performing corrective measures right away. Moreover, an electronics engineer must coordinate with clients to consult them on their needs and meet with other skilled engineers to ensure optimal quality of equipment. An electronics engineer may also perform administrative tasks, mainly to produce progress reports and presentations, manage schedules, and craft instructional written materials for all electronic systems.
Optical design engineers and electronics engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optical Design Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Average salary | $94,750 | $93,985 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $125,000 | Between $68,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an optical design engineer and an electronics engineer in terms of educational background:
| Optical Design Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between optical design engineers' and electronics engineers' demographics:
| Optical Design Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 17.2% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 15.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |