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The differences between senior electronic engineers and principal 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 principal engineer. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $106,931 average annual salary of a senior electronic engineer.
The top three skills for a senior electronic engineer include power electronics, analog and C++. The most important skills for a principal engineer are java, architecture, and python.
| Senior Electronic Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $106,931 | $130,213 |
| Hourly rate | $51.41 | $62.60 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 63,815 | 312,683 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| 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 principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Senior electronic engineers and principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Electronic Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average salary | $106,931 | $130,213 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $141,000 | Between $95,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Grubhub |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a senior electronic engineer and a principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Electronic Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior electronic engineers' and principal engineers' demographics:
| Senior Electronic Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.3% Female, 3.7% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |