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The differences between utility 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 utility engineer and a staff engineer. Additionally, a staff engineer has an average salary of $107,530, 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 staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Utility Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $76,349 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $36.71 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 92,219 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| 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.
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.
Utility engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Utility Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $76,349 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $107,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Exxon Mobil | Flexport |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a utility engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Utility Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between utility engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Utility Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| 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, 3.1% 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% |