Post job

Solar designer vs electrical & instrumentation designer

The differences between solar designers 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 solar designer and an electrical & instrumentation designer. Additionally, an electrical & instrumentation designer has an average salary of $81,188, which is higher than the $58,292 average annual salary of a solar designer.

The top three skills for a solar designer include CAD, system design and solar power. The most important skills for an electrical & instrumentation designer are PLC, instrumentation design, and control systems.

Solar designer vs electrical & instrumentation designer overview

Solar DesignerElectrical & Instrumentation Designer
Yearly salary$58,292$81,188
Hourly rate$28.02$39.03
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs46,16081,243
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Associate Degree, 53%
Average age4545
Years of experience22

Solar designer vs electrical & instrumentation designer salary

Solar designers and electrical & instrumentation designers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Solar DesignerElectrical & Instrumentation Designer
Average salary$58,292$81,188
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $94,000Between $60,000 And $109,000
Highest paying CityPetaluma, CA-
Highest paying stateCalifornia-
Best paying companySmith & Associates-
Best paying industryProfessional-

Differences between solar designer and electrical & instrumentation designer education

There are a few differences between a solar designer and an electrical & instrumentation designer in terms of educational background:

Solar DesignerElectrical & Instrumentation Designer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Associate Degree, 53%
Most common majorMechanical EngineeringDrafting And Design
Most common collegeCarnegie Mellon UniversityMichigan Technological University

Solar designer vs electrical & instrumentation designer demographics

Here are the differences between solar designers' and electrical & instrumentation designers' demographics:

Solar DesignerElectrical & Instrumentation Designer
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 88.1% Female, 11.9%Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.8% 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 Percentage6%6%

Differences between solar designer and electrical & instrumentation designer duties and responsibilities

Solar designer example responsibilities.

  • Modify SRV-1 source code using JavaScript software to attain tracking at any instantaneous time.
  • Use of SalesForce, SketchUp, Pictometry & SunCalc to complete design to local AHJ requirements.
  • Base on previous data, optimize the amount of cushioning material for balancing battery protection and weight.
  • Design electrical and structural plans for permitting and commissioning at multiple AHJ's and utility companies in AZ.
  • Determine roof pitch, azimuth, obstructions, BOM & conduit routing for optimum lifetime performance & cost.
  • Provide AutoCAD drawings and support electrical engineers in construction and renovation of custom homes.
  • Show more

Electrical & instrumentation designer example responsibilities.

  • Manage database for PDF drawings and other electronic files.
  • Modify chemical process areas with new control installations, utilizing various DCS's, and PLC's on these projects.
  • Work in PDMS creating instruments, cable tray routing, locating junction boxes, remote I/O cabinets, and lighting.
  • Work include modification of existing instrument panels to accept PLC & DCS racks and wiring; update pneumatic instrumentation to electronics.
  • Develop new instrument installation detail drawings, instrument location plan drawings, instrument elevation drawings and loop diagrams for the refinery.
  • Design process plant instrumentation and electrical power systems within NEC and industry standards.
  • Show more

Solar designer vs electrical & instrumentation designer skills

Common solar designer skills
  • CAD, 36%
  • System Design, 24%
  • Solar Power, 13%
  • Solar PV, 8%
  • Solar Panels, 6%
  • Line Diagrams, 4%
Common electrical & instrumentation designer skills
  • PLC, 8%
  • Instrumentation Design, 7%
  • Control Systems, 6%
  • I/O, 5%
  • Electrical Design, 4%
  • Panel Layouts, 4%

Browse architecture and engineering jobs