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The differences between senior electrical design 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 senior electrical design 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 $112,599 average annual salary of a senior electrical design engineer.
The top three skills for a senior electrical design engineer include electrical design, RF and PCB. The most important skills for a senior staff engineer are python, java, and architecture.
| Senior Electrical Design Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $112,599 | $136,031 |
| Hourly rate | $54.13 | $65.40 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 92,795 | 239,752 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A senior electrical design engineer specializes in designing and developing small and large-scale electrical systems and structures. They may work in different industries such as telecommunications, power generation, and even manufacturing. Their duties typically include identifying and meeting the needs of clients or companies, producing and presenting drafts and diagrams, managing budgets and schedules, and establishing guidelines for a smooth and safe workflow. Above all, as a senior engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to fellow engineers, all while implementing the company's safety regulations and policies.
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.
Senior electrical design engineers and senior staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Electrical Design Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $112,599 | $136,031 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $145,000 | Between $95,000 And $194,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Rivian | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a senior electrical design engineer and a senior staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Electrical Design 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 senior electrical design engineers' and senior staff engineers' demographics:
| Senior Electrical Design 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, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.4% 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% |