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The differences between senior design specialists and engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a senior design specialist and an engineer. Additionally, a senior design specialist has an average salary of $96,923, which is higher than the $92,077 average annual salary of an engineer.
The top three skills for a senior design specialist include sketch, SR and design solutions. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Senior Design Specialist | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,923 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $46.60 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 45,603 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A senior design specialist's main responsibility is managing design projects and delivering them within the deadlines. They have to also look after the junior designers and ensure that the quality of designs meets company standards.
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Senior design specialists and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Design Specialist | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $96,923 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $131,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior design specialist and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Design Specialist | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior design specialists' and engineers' demographics:
| Senior Design Specialist | Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.9% Female, 25.1% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 10.4% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 5% | 5% |