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The differences between staff electrical engineers and senior 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 staff electrical engineer, becoming a senior design engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a staff electrical engineer has an average salary of $112,225, which is higher than the $104,698 average annual salary of a senior design engineer.
The top three skills for a staff electrical engineer include electrical engineering, analog and electrical systems. The most important skills for a senior design engineer are CAD, project management, and RF.
| Staff Electrical Engineer | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $112,225 | $104,698 |
| Hourly rate | $53.95 | $50.34 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 129,667 | 127,035 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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.
A senior design engineer is responsible for creating mechanical and electrical designs for machines and systems, following clients' specifications and business guidelines. Senior design engineers also assist junior design engineers with their tasks, sharing best practices and techniques, and suggesting adjustments as needed. They also oversee the manufacturing process, inspect possible inconsistencies, and revise plans without exceeding the agreed budget or compromising the quality. A senior design engineer must be keen with details and highly organizational, especially on meeting deadlines with the highest client satisfaction.
Staff electrical engineers and senior design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Electrical Engineer | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $112,225 | $104,698 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $152,000 | Between $80,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a staff electrical engineer and a senior design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Staff Electrical Engineer | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between staff electrical engineers' and senior design engineers' demographics:
| Staff Electrical Engineer | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% | Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |