Final Call for PCB Designer Salary Survey

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – PCEA announced its final call to participate in its annual salary survey of printed circuit board designers, design engineers and other layout specialists. PCEA surveys designers and design engineers each year, asking questions related to annual salaries, job functions, experience, education, job satisfaction, and ECAD tools used, among other data.

The survey can be taken here.

PCEA publishes the aggregate data in a free downloadable report on its website and in PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY magazine. Individual responses are not shared.

“Designers and design engineers on our member Discord server offered input on what they want to know regarding compensation and job responsibilities,” said Mike Buetow, president, PCEA. “We added those inquiries to this year’s survey and hope to gain better insights into the industry trends.”

The audience surveyed is not selected or controlled, and the more responses received, the more valid the results.

For a list of past results, click here.

Abstracts Sought for PCB East 2026

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – Abstracts for next year’s PCB East technical conference are due Sept. 5. The conference, the largest of its kind in New England, takes place next spring in the Boston suburbs and focuses on training and best practices for printed circuit board design engineers, electronics design engineers, fabricators and assemblers.

The four-day technical conference will take place Apr. 27 – May 1, at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA. The event includes a one-day exhibition on Apr. 28.

Papers and presentations of between one and seven hours are sought. Preference is given to presentations of two hours in length or more, and no presentations of less than one hour will be considered.

Abstracts of 100-500 words and speaker biographies should be submitted to PCEA. Papers and presentations must be noncommercial in nature and should focus on technology, techniques or methodologies related to printed circuit board design, fabrication, assembly, test, components or packaging, and additive manufacturing. 

Submit abstracts at https://pcbeast.com/abstract-submission-guidelines by Sept. 5. No emailed abstracts will be accepted. Submitters will be notified in mid-November if their abstract has been accepted. Presentations are due Apr. 10, 2026.

Presenters of accepted abstract(s) for the 2026 program receive complimentary access to the online proceedings and a complimentary pass to the technical conference.

For more information about PCB East, visit pcbeast.com or contact conference director Mike Buetow at pcea@pcea.net.

PCB West 2025 Show Floor Almost Sold Out

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – The exhibition floor space is almost sold out for this year’s PCB West, the largest exhibition and conference for printed circuit board design, fabrication and assembly in Silicon Valley, PCEA announced. About five booths remain for the annual event, PCEA added.

Last year was the tenth time in 11 years that all booths were sold for the popular exhibition.

“Coming off an outstanding PCB West 2024, booth sales for our 2025 event have been strong,” said Frances Stewart, vice president of sales and marketing, PCEA. “We’re looking forward to another great event.”

PCB West will be held Sept. 30 – Oct. 3 at the Santa Clara (CA) Convention Center. The event includes a one-day exhibition on Oct. 1.

This year’s show will feature more than 100 exhibitors showcasing the leading companies in the PCB industry, including the top CAD and CAM vendors and top names in printed circuit fabrication and electronics assembly. Attendees will be treated to a free lunch on the exhibit floor during the exhibition on Oct. 1.

PCEA to Hold Annual Meeting at PCB West

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – PCEA will hold its annual meeting on Sept. 30 at the Santa Clara (CA) Convention Center during the PCB West trade show.

PCEA will review its key programs, including its Certified Printed Circuit Engineering training and its chapter development and membership.

The meeting is open to all Association Members and interested parties.

Also, annual awards for leadership and membership will be presented.