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The differences between senior electronic engineers and cost 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 electronic engineer and a cost engineer. Additionally, a senior electronic engineer has an average salary of $106,931, which is higher than the $87,901 average annual salary of a cost engineer.
The top three skills for a senior electronic engineer include power electronics, analog and C++. The most important skills for a cost engineer are project management, cost analysis, and construction management.
| Senior Electronic Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $106,931 | $87,901 |
| Hourly rate | $51.41 | $42.26 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 63,815 | 65,278 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Senior Electronics Engineer is responsible for the directive development of communication systems, the field support design, equipment modifications, and technical issuances. This position demands knowledge in applied engineering principles to analyze and test electronic system performances or applications, technical documentation, producing engineering prototypes, and developing software. These professionals work with different equipment, from phones to PCs and even medical equipment or military systems. A Senior Electronics Engineer's tasks include checking the quality of the equipment they are using and ensuring that projects are cost-efficient, completed on time, and safe.
A cost engineer is responsible for projecting cost and expenses reports for the production process, identify and mitigate risks, and develop strategic techniques to reduce the excessive financial loss for project buildings. Cost engineers conduct data and statistical analysis to measure time deliverables and quality checks to ensure profitability and adherence to business objectives. They research and negotiate materials from trusted suppliers and vendors with high-quality products that would meet construction designs and client specifications.
Senior electronic engineers and cost engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Electronic Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average salary | $106,931 | $87,901 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $141,000 | Between $64,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Apple | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a senior electronic engineer and a cost engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Electronic Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior electronic engineers' and cost engineers' demographics:
| Senior Electronic Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.3% Female, 3.7% | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 15.9% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |