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The differences between principal electrical engineers and senior staff 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 principal electrical engineer, becoming a senior staff engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior staff engineer has an average salary of $136,031, which is higher than the $121,822 average annual salary of a principal electrical engineer.
The top three skills for a principal electrical engineer include electrical engineering, RF and analog. The most important skills for a senior staff engineer are python, java, and architecture.
| Principal Electrical Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $121,822 | $136,031 |
| Hourly rate | $58.57 | $65.40 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 112,926 | 239,752 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A principal electrical engineer is responsible for overseeing the development of electrical systems and projects. Because of their expertise, they have the responsibility to spearhead electrical projects from planning to execution, set goals and budgets, establish guidelines, develop test structures, and create strategies to optimize operations. They must also respond to issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a principal electrical engineer, it is essential to manage staff while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A senior staff engineer is responsible for supervising a team of engineers, chemists, software developers, or molecular biologists. His/Her or her responsibilities include generating Structured Query Language (SQL) performance audit checklist template, creating SQL data query routines and functions for data extraction, and working directly with stakeholders. The job requires strong mechanical, listening, and mathematical skills and proficiency in Python programming language and computer architecture and hardware. The education requirements for the job include a bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering, business, mechanical engineering, or a related field.
Principal electrical engineers and senior staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Electrical Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $121,822 | $136,031 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $159,000 | Between $95,000 And $194,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a principal electrical engineer and a senior staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Electrical Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | California State Polytechnic University, Pomona |
Here are the differences between principal electrical engineers' and senior staff engineers' demographics:
| Principal Electrical Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.4% Female, 6.6% | Male, 78.4% Female, 21.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 15.6% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 6% | 5% |