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The differences between aerodynamics engineers and product engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an aerodynamics engineer, becoming a product engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an aerodynamics engineer has an average salary of $99,629, which is higher than the $89,645 average annual salary of a product engineer.
The top three skills for an aerodynamics engineer include aerospace, MATLAB and computational fluid dynamics. The most important skills for a product engineer are CAD, product design, and project management.
| Aerodynamics Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $99,629 | $89,645 |
| Hourly rate | $47.90 | $43.10 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 20,152 | 157,888 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
An aerodynamics engineer is an aerodynamics expert who specializes in designing and developing aircraft components and systems, ensuring quality and efficiency. Among their responsibilities include conducting extensive research and analysis, developing prototypes and test structures, coordinating with experts, obtaining certifications, and complying with all the aviation laws and regulations. They may also gather and analyze data of existing systems and equipment to identify its strengths and weaknesses, implementing solutions against problem areas. Moreover, an aerodynamics engineer must perform regular maintenance checks and assessments while maintaining an active communication line with staff.
A product engineer specializes in designing and developing commercial materials and services. They are primarily responsible for conducting thorough research and analysis of the latest trends and marketing conditions to come up with new ideas and products for the public. Moreover, they are also responsible for producing reports and presentations, coordinating with the development team of their company. Product engineers also reach out to vendors and suppliers for the raw materials, set regulations and standards for the product, and even conduct a rigorous and regular quality check.
Aerodynamics engineers and product engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aerodynamics Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Average salary | $99,629 | $89,645 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $142,000 | Between $68,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Gulfstream Aerospace | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between an aerodynamics engineer and a product engineer in terms of educational background:
| Aerodynamics Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Aerospace Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between aerodynamics engineers' and product engineers' demographics:
| Aerodynamics Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8% | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.7% Asian, 13.5% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.0% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |