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The differences between acoustical engineers and student 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 student engineer. Additionally, an acoustical engineer has an average salary of $93,808, which is higher than the $71,947 average annual salary of a student engineer.
The top three skills for an acoustical engineer include transducers, data analysis and DSP. The most important skills for a student engineer are GPA, C++, and CAD.
| Acoustical Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $93,808 | $71,947 |
| Hourly rate | $45.10 | $34.59 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 74,331 | 98,036 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| 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.
A student engineer is an individual who trains to become a full pledge professional engineer by gaining working experience in the field of engineering. By using their knowledge in the principles of science and mathematics, student engineers should help other professionals develop economical solutions and solve technical problems. They are required to engage themselves in the testing, production, or maintenance of newly developed products. Student engineers are also required to work closely with their senior managers or supervisors.
Acoustical engineers and student engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Acoustical Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Average salary | $93,808 | $71,947 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $126,000 | Between $54,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Yakima, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an acoustical engineer and a student engineer in terms of educational background:
| Acoustical Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between acoustical engineers' and student engineers' demographics:
| Acoustical Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 15.9% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |