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The differences between solar engineers and 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 engineer, becoming an engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an engineer has an average salary of $92,077, which is higher than the $77,229 average annual salary of a solar engineer.
The top three skills for a solar engineer include renewable energy, system design and solar pv. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Solar Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $77,229 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $37.13 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 40,951 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Solar engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Solar Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $77,229 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $111,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | WEC Energy Group | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a solar engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Solar Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between solar engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Solar Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 15.3% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |