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The differences between automotive engineers and automotive technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an automotive engineer, becoming an automotive technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an automotive engineer has an average salary of $82,211, which is higher than the $40,910 average annual salary of an automotive technician.
The top three skills for an automotive engineer include CAD, ISO and adaptive. The most important skills for an automotive technician are work ethic, computer system, and customer service.
| Automotive Engineer | Automotive Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $82,211 | $40,910 |
| Hourly rate | $39.52 | $19.67 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 104,464 | 142,840 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
An automotive engineer specializes in designing and developing vehicles for public or private use. Their job entails conducting extensive research and analyses, conceptualizing plans with fellow experts, building prototypes and structures, troubleshooting problems, and implementing multiple test procedures to identify how the vehicle operates at different conditions and ensure its quality adheres to standards and regulations. Besides developing new vehicles, an automotive engineer may also modify existing models, which requires them to study the market and consumers' feedback, identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing systems, and coordinate upgrades.
An automotive technician is responsible for maintaining the condition of automotive equipment. The duties of an automotive technician include repairing defective automotive components and inspecting and ensuring the auto's performance, stability, and safety. A tech is also responsible for upgrading the electrical systems to boost efficiency, conducting oil changes and tire checks, and installing batteries. An automotive technician also runs quality checks and improves system designs based on clients' specifications. An automotive technician must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry and automotive systems to assist clients with their inquiries and concerns.
Automotive engineers and automotive technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Engineer | Automotive Technician | |
| Average salary | $82,211 | $40,910 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $118,000 | Between $29,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Belmont, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Cal | Orange County Sheriff's Office |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an automotive engineer and an automotive technician in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Engineer | Automotive Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | - |
Here are the differences between automotive engineers' and automotive technicians' demographics:
| Automotive Engineer | Automotive Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.0% Female, 7.0% | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 15.9% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 5.0% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 2% |