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The differences between signal engineers and electrical & instrumentation designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a signal engineer and an electrical & instrumentation designer. Additionally, a signal engineer has an average salary of $87,939, which is higher than the $81,188 average annual salary of an electrical & instrumentation designer.
The top three skills for a signal engineer include field testing, control systems and project management. The most important skills for an electrical & instrumentation designer are PLC, instrumentation design, and control systems.
| Signal Engineer | Electrical & Instrumentation Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,939 | $81,188 |
| Hourly rate | $42.28 | $39.03 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 25,699 | 81,243 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Associate Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A signal engineer holds the responsibility of conducting feasibility studies, cost estimates, planning, budgeting, and administration relating to signal issues. They manage approved work programs for traffic signals, resolve issues with existing traffic signals, and oversee members of the traffic signal staff.
An electrical instrumentation designer's main job is to design instruments that can be used in various areas such as laboratories, power plants, or research institutes. They work together with a team or individually to design instruments, create a prototype, and test its functions. They can even install these instruments in different establishments and locations. They are tasked with repair and training engineers. At other times, they are assigned to record expenses and other documentation.
Signal engineers and electrical & instrumentation designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Signal Engineer | Electrical & Instrumentation Designer | |
| Average salary | $87,939 | $81,188 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $129,000 | Between $60,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Apple | - |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a signal engineer and an electrical & instrumentation designer in terms of educational background:
| Signal Engineer | Electrical & Instrumentation Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Associate Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between signal engineers' and electrical & instrumentation designers' demographics:
| Signal Engineer | Electrical & Instrumentation Designer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% | Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 18.8% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |