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The differences between solar designers and software design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a solar designer, becoming a software design engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software design engineer has an average salary of $98,799, 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 a software design engineer are software development, python, and software design.
| Solar Designer | Software Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $58,292 | $98,799 |
| Hourly rate | $28.02 | $47.50 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 46,160 | 315,080 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Solar designers and software design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Solar Designer | Software Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $58,292 | $98,799 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $94,000 | Between $74,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | Petaluma, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Smith & Associates | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a solar designer and a software design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Solar Designer | Software Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between solar designers' and software design engineers' demographics:
| Solar Designer | Software Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |