The Salary of an Electrical Design Engineer
Electrical design engineers are responsible for designing, developing and testing electrical components and systems. They are employed across a wide range of private, public and military industries. Electrical design engineering requires a post-secondary degree with a specialty in electronics and electricity. Factors affecting an electrical design engineer's salary include experience, company size and industry.
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Salary
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Electrical design engineers earn between $56,369 and $80,624 annually, according to PayScale January 2011 data. This income range falls between the 25th and 75th percentile. Bonus and profit-sharing account for between $2,168 and $9,983. Health benefits are practically a standard among electrical design engineers, with only seven percent lacking in benefits.
Experience
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The experience an electrical design engineer brings to the job has a dramatic impact on salary. An entry-level electrical design engineer, with less than one year experience, can expect to earn between $49,878 and $61,556, according to January 2011 PayScale data. With one to four years' experience, income increases almost ten percent to between $51,577 and $66,697. At five to nine years' experience, salary increases by almost 20 percent to a range of $60,456 to $79,051. With 10 to 19 years' experience, the income of an electrical engineer increases a further 23 percent to between $65,640 and $97,489. Income peaks at a range of $70,639 to $107,277, for individuals with 20 years' or more experience.
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Company Size
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Company size can account for up to 25 percent difference in the salary of an electrical engineer. Individuals working in companies with up to 600 employees earn between $46,302 and $71,572, according to PayScale January 2011 data. Midsized companies, between 6,000 and 20,000 employees, pay electrical design engineers between $58,479 and $87,968. Individuals working for large companies, above 20,000 employees, earn between $63,443 and $97,439.
Industry
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The industry in which an electrical design engineer works can affect his salary by up to 30 percent. Individuals working as engineering consultants earn the least, between $52,296 and $67,590 annually, according to PayScale January 2011 data. Electrical design engineers working in the construction industry, or in energy and utilities, earn between $53,053 and $71,992. Individuals working in the aerospace and defense industry earn the most, between $63,540 and $88,393.
Certification
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In addition to post-secondary education, electrical design engineers can choose to acquire certification. Additional certification can have a significant impact on an individual's salary. Electrical design engineers who are Leed Accredited Professionals earn between $54,776 and $66,011 annually, according to PayScale January 2011 data. Individuals with Six Sigma Greenbelt certification earn between $51,456 and $87,000. Those who are Certified Professional Engineers earn the most, between $61,074 and $87,169.
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References
- PayScale; Electrical Design Engineer Salary, Average Salaries
- PayScale; Electrical Design Engineer Salary, Average Salaries by Years Experience
- PayScale; Electrical Design Engineer Salary, Average Salaries by Company Size
- PayScale; Electrical Design Engineer Salary, Average Salaries by Industry
- PayScale; Electrical Design Engineer Salary, Average Salaries by Certification