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The differences between senior electrical engineers and 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 engineer, becoming a staff engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior electrical engineer has an average salary of $109,315, which is higher than the $107,530 average annual salary of a staff engineer.
The top three skills for a senior electrical engineer include control systems, electrical equipment and electrical systems. The most important skills for a staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $109,315 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $52.56 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 82,639 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| 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.
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
Senior electrical engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $109,315 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $144,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Flexport |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a senior electrical engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior electrical engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| 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, 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% |