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The differences between acoustical engineers and research engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an acoustical engineer and a research engineer. Additionally, a research engineer has an average salary of $96,945, which is higher than the $93,808 average annual salary of an acoustical engineer.
The top three skills for an acoustical engineer include transducers, data analysis and DSP. The most important skills for a research engineer are python, java, and software development.
| Acoustical Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $93,808 | $96,945 |
| Hourly rate | $45.10 | $46.61 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 74,331 | 136,763 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An acoustical engineer works primarily with sound; they reduce noise pollution in areas like construction sites and airports. Noise pollution is particularly hard to contain, which means an acoustical engineer is essential to manage the potential hazards of constant high-decibel sounds. Their job involves inspecting a location, determining the loudest areas, recommending measures to minimize noise pollution, and implementing all approved recommendations.
Research Engineers are responsible for a wide range of duties, including researching and developing new technologies and prototypes, and finding solutions to improve techniques, procedures, and technologies.
Acoustical engineers and research engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Acoustical Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Average salary | $93,808 | $96,945 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $126,000 | Between $67,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an acoustical engineer and a research engineer in terms of educational background:
| Acoustical Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between acoustical engineers' and research engineers' demographics:
| Acoustical Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 15.7% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |