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The differences between senior design specialists and senior 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 a senior engineer. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $96,923 average annual salary of a senior design specialist.
The top three skills for a senior design specialist include sketch, SR and design solutions. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Senior Design Specialist | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,923 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $46.60 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 45,603 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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.
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Senior design specialists and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Design Specialist | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $96,923 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $131,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a senior design specialist and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Design Specialist | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior design specialists' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Senior Design Specialist | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.9% Female, 25.1% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |