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The differences between senior electrical engineers and electronics 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 engineer, becoming an electronics engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior electrical engineer has an average salary of $109,315, which is higher than the $93,985 average annual salary of an electronics engineer.
The top three skills for a senior electrical engineer include control systems, electrical equipment and electrical systems. The most important skills for an electronics engineer are analog, RF, and power electronics.
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $109,315 | $93,985 |
| Hourly rate | $52.56 | $45.19 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 82,639 | 83,870 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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.
An electronics engineer specializes in designing and developing electronic components and systems, ensuring efficiency in all aspects. They are primarily responsible for conducting tests and maintenance for systems, identifying any faults or inconsistencies, and performing corrective measures right away. Moreover, an electronics engineer must coordinate with clients to consult them on their needs and meet with other skilled engineers to ensure optimal quality of equipment. An electronics engineer may also perform administrative tasks, mainly to produce progress reports and presentations, manage schedules, and craft instructional written materials for all electronic systems.
Senior electrical engineers and electronics engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Average salary | $109,315 | $93,985 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $144,000 | Between $68,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior electrical engineer and an electronics engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between senior electrical engineers' and electronics engineers' demographics:
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 15.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |