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The differences between staff electrical engineers and electrical design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a staff electrical engineer and an electrical design engineer. Additionally, a staff electrical engineer has an average salary of $112,225, which is higher than the $83,944 average annual salary of an electrical design engineer.
The top three skills for a staff electrical engineer include electrical engineering, analog and electrical systems. The most important skills for an electrical design engineer are electrical design, revit, and electrical systems.
| Staff Electrical Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $112,225 | $83,944 |
| Hourly rate | $53.95 | $40.36 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 129,667 | 87,121 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A staff electrical engineer specializes in designing and developing electrical systems and equipment. Their responsibilities typically include understanding the project's needs, conducting research and analysis, creating prototypes and test structures, performing installations and adjustments, resolving and repairing issues, and developing strategies to enhance existing systems. They must also perform regular maintenance checks to maintain a safe and efficient work environment. Moreover, a staff electrical engineer may train junior engineers while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
An electrical design engineer develops electrical systems for different applications. Electrical design engineers create system layouts and specifications. They test the systems and make some adjustments whenever necessary. The solutions they create range from component designs to large systems. The set of skills imperative for this job include good technical abilities, teamwork, motivation for extra work hours, ability to execute job under pressure, and enthusiasm. They should also be savvy in technology and innovation.
Staff electrical engineers and electrical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Electrical Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $112,225 | $83,944 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $152,000 | Between $63,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a staff electrical engineer and an electrical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Staff Electrical Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between staff electrical engineers' and electrical design engineers' demographics:
| Staff Electrical Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 15.1% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |