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The differences between substations electrical engineers and associate electrical 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 substations electrical engineer and an associate electrical engineer. Additionally, a substations electrical engineer has an average salary of $88,149, which is higher than the $71,773 average annual salary of an associate electrical engineer.
The top three skills for a substations electrical engineer include IEEE, ac and dc. The most important skills for an associate electrical engineer are electrical components, electrical equipment, and RF.
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Associate Electrical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,149 | $71,773 |
| Hourly rate | $42.38 | $34.51 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 44,451 | 31,707 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Substation electrical engineers are engineering professionals who design medium and high voltage substations that are used to transmit and distribute electricity. These engineers are required to maintain substation equipment specifications that are according to the current industry standards and operating policies. They must review design drawings and perform load analysis to select the overall platform's power requirements. Substation electrical engineers must also provide cost estimates for substation projects as well as prepare layout drawings for future substation expansion.
An associate electrical engineer is responsible for organizing and developing electrical systems, improving existing components, and designing infrastructure under the guidance of the senior electrical engineer. Associate electrical engineers identify cost-reduction materials and analyze current electrical industry trends to determine efficient products and equipment that support public demands and industrial use. They collaborate testing methods with the engineering team, suggest project improvement techniques, and perform quality assurance procedures to stabilize the electrical system's optimal performance.
Substations electrical engineers and associate electrical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Associate Electrical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,149 | $71,773 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $112,000 | Between $51,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albuquerque, NM | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Kiewit | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a substations electrical engineer and an associate electrical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Associate Electrical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between substations electrical engineers' and associate electrical engineers' demographics:
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Associate Electrical Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 86.6% Female, 13.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 16.5% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |