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The differences between student engineers and staff 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 student engineer and a staff engineer. Additionally, a staff engineer has an average salary of $107,530, which is higher than the $71,947 average annual salary of a student engineer.
The top three skills for a student engineer include GPA, C++ and CAD. The most important skills for a staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Student Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $71,947 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $34.59 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 98,036 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A student engineer is an individual who trains to become a full pledge professional engineer by gaining working experience in the field of engineering. By using their knowledge in the principles of science and mathematics, student engineers should help other professionals develop economical solutions and solve technical problems. They are required to engage themselves in the testing, production, or maintenance of newly developed products. Student engineers are also required to work closely with their senior managers or supervisors.
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.
Student engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $71,947 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $95,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | Yakima, WA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Flexport |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a student engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Student Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between student engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Student Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 15.9% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |