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The differences between utility engineers and design 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 utility engineer and a design engineer. Additionally, a design engineer has an average salary of $77,134, which is higher than the $76,349 average annual salary of a utility engineer.
The top three skills for a utility engineer include HVAC, autocad and plumbing. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Utility Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $76,349 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $36.71 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 92,219 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A utility engineer is responsible for managing the energy resources within the industrial companies, measuring the amount of energy released, and identifying methods to minimize energy waste. Utility engineers run multiple quality checks with technological energy equipment to ensure its efficiency and stability in maintaining the accurate level of energy distribution to support commercial operations. They evaluate the energy needs of an area and recommend techniques to improve reliability. A utility engineer must have excellent communication and analytical skills, as well as extensive knowledge of mechanical ability to monitor and improve energy systems.
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
Utility engineers and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Utility Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $76,349 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $107,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Exxon Mobil | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a utility engineer and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Utility Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between utility engineers' and design engineers' demographics:
| Utility Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 10.2% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |