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The differences between senior engineers and senior design 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 engineer and a senior design engineer. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $104,698 average annual salary of a senior design engineer.
The top three skills for a senior engineer include java, python and architecture. The most important skills for a senior design engineer are CAD, project management, and RF.
| Senior Engineer | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $108,743 | $104,698 |
| Hourly rate | $52.28 | $50.34 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 343,200 | 127,035 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
A senior design engineer is responsible for creating mechanical and electrical designs for machines and systems, following clients' specifications and business guidelines. Senior design engineers also assist junior design engineers with their tasks, sharing best practices and techniques, and suggesting adjustments as needed. They also oversee the manufacturing process, inspect possible inconsistencies, and revise plans without exceeding the agreed budget or compromising the quality. A senior design engineer must be keen with details and highly organizational, especially on meeting deadlines with the highest client satisfaction.
Senior engineers and senior design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Engineer | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $108,743 | $104,698 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $144,000 | Between $80,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Roku | |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior engineer and a senior design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Engineer | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior engineers' and senior design engineers' demographics:
| Senior Engineer | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% | Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |