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The differences between staff engineers and equipment engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a staff engineer and an equipment engineer. Additionally, a staff engineer has an average salary of $107,530, which is higher than the $97,539 average annual salary of an equipment engineer.
The top three skills for a staff engineer include java, python and architecture. The most important skills for an equipment engineer are equipment performance, semiconductor, and project management.
| Staff Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,530 | $97,539 |
| Hourly rate | $51.70 | $46.89 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 277,011 | 108,449 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
The duties of an equipment engineer depend on one's organization or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around designing and developing mechanical and electronic equipment, analyzing and improving existing systems, performing customization according to customers' preferences, installing and removing attachments, and conducting regular maintenance procedures. An equipment engineer must also address issues and complaints, providing corrective measures promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, it is essential to coordinate with team members and other specialists, inspect and test new systems, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
Staff engineers and equipment engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,530 | $97,539 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $167,000 | Between $69,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Louisiana |
| Best paying company | Flexport | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Energy |
There are a few differences between a staff engineer and an equipment engineer in terms of educational background:
| Staff Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between staff engineers' and equipment engineers' demographics:
| Staff Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 15.1% White, 68.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |