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The differences between senior design engineers and senior electrical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a senior design engineer, becoming a senior electrical engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior electrical engineer has an average salary of $109,315, which is higher than the $104,698 average annual salary of a senior design engineer.
The top three skills for a senior design engineer include CAD, project management and RF. The most important skills for a senior electrical engineer are control systems, electrical equipment, and electrical systems.
| Senior Design Engineer | Senior Electrical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,698 | $109,315 |
| Hourly rate | $50.34 | $52.56 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 127,035 | 82,639 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A senior design engineer is responsible for creating mechanical and electrical designs for machines and systems, following clients' specifications and business guidelines. Senior design engineers also assist junior design engineers with their tasks, sharing best practices and techniques, and suggesting adjustments as needed. They also oversee the manufacturing process, inspect possible inconsistencies, and revise plans without exceeding the agreed budget or compromising the quality. A senior design engineer must be keen with details and highly organizational, especially on meeting deadlines with the highest client satisfaction.
A senior electrical engineer is an individual who leads other engineers to review electrical design plans and analyze existing electrical systems. Senior electrical engineers must establish relationships with clients, vendors, and suppliers to ensure that projects are completed according to specifications. They create project budgets and produce working schedules and company regulations to make sure that a safe and positive working environment is achieved. Senior electrical engineers must be passionate about engineering development by attending electrical conferences and events.
Senior design engineers and senior electrical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Design Engineer | Senior Electrical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $104,698 | $109,315 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $136,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cupertino, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior design engineer and a senior electrical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Design Engineer | Senior Electrical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior design engineers' and senior electrical engineers' demographics:
| Senior Design Engineer | Senior Electrical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2% | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 15.5% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |