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The differences between principal firmware engineers and 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 firmware engineer, becoming an engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal firmware engineer has an average salary of $134,114, which is higher than the $92,077 average annual salary of an engineer.
The top three skills for a principal firmware engineer include python, debugging and SSD. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Principal Firmware Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $134,114 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $64.48 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 61,118 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Principal firmware engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Firmware Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $134,114 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $103,000 And $174,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Micron Technology | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a principal firmware engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Firmware Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between principal firmware engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Principal Firmware Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.8% Female, 6.3% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |