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The differences between substations electrical engineers and electrical designers 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 electrical designer. Additionally, a substations electrical engineer has an average salary of $88,149, which is higher than the $64,930 average annual salary of an electrical designer.
The top three skills for a substations electrical engineer include IEEE, ac and dc. The most important skills for an electrical designer are revit, electrical design, and autocad electrical.
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Electrical Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,149 | $64,930 |
| Hourly rate | $42.38 | $31.22 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 44,451 | 82,332 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Associate Degree, 47% |
| 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 electrical designer designs and develops electrical circuit and system layouts for electric power distribution. The responsibilities of an electrical designer include assembling electrical panels and leading a team of document control personnel in-charged to identify and organize facility maintenance drawings. The position requires good initiative, writing, speaking, and mathematical skills to accomplish such responsibilities. The job's education requirements include possessing a college degree in electrical engineering, design, or a related field.
Substations electrical engineers and electrical designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Electrical Designer | |
| Average salary | $88,149 | $64,930 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $112,000 | Between $47,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albuquerque, NM | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Kiewit | Amd |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a substations electrical engineer and an electrical designer in terms of educational background:
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Electrical Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Associate Degree, 47% |
| 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 electrical designers' demographics:
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Electrical Designer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| 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, 11.2% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |