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The differences between substations electrical engineers and field 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 a field engineer. Additionally, a substations electrical engineer has an average salary of $88,149, which is higher than the $71,874 average annual salary of a field engineer.
The top three skills for a substations electrical engineer include IEEE, ac and dc. The most important skills for a field engineer are customer service, customer satisfaction, and project management.
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Field Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,149 | $71,874 |
| Hourly rate | $42.38 | $34.55 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 44,451 | 86,015 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| 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.
A field engineer's role will vary on the industry or line of work involved. However, the primary responsibility will mostly revolve around handling equipment and machinery, ensuring that they function effectively and safely. It is also the task of a field engineer to oversee the workflow and workforce, giving directions and recommendations when necessary. Furthermore, a field engineer must develop strategies and plans to improve the site's efficiency, produce progress reports, and coordinate with other workers.
Substations electrical engineers and field engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Field Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,149 | $71,874 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $112,000 | Between $51,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albuquerque, NM | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Kiewit | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Energy |
There are a few differences between a substations electrical engineer and a field engineer in terms of educational background:
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Field Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between substations electrical engineers' and field engineers' demographics:
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Field Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 92.7% Female, 7.3% |
| 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, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |