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The differences between associate design 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 associate design engineer and a research engineer. Additionally, a research engineer has an average salary of $96,945, which is higher than the $74,791 average annual salary of an associate design engineer.
The top three skills for an associate design engineer include design engineering, CAD and autocad. The most important skills for a research engineer are python, java, and software development.
| Associate Design Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,791 | $96,945 |
| Hourly rate | $35.96 | $46.61 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 108,860 | 136,763 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An Associate Design Engineer is a specialist focused on the engineering process design for various engineering disciplines, such as mechanical, electrical, or structural. Duties include designing and coordinating projects, conducting model making and product testing, identifying new processes that promote cost-savings, efficiency, and quality, and assisting the director in contract bidding. They are also involved in resource forecasting, budgeting, and technical report writing. An associate design engineer liaises with clients, contractors, and colleagues to ensure the project is delivered according to the timeline.
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.
Associate design engineers and research engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Design Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,791 | $96,945 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $95,000 | Between $67,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Silicon Labs | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an associate design engineer and a research engineer in terms of educational background:
| Associate Design Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | 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 associate design engineers' and research engineers' demographics:
| Associate Design Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.3% Female, 15.7% | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% 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% |