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The differences between automotive engineers and equipment 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 automotive engineer and an equipment engineer. Additionally, an equipment engineer has an average salary of $97,539, which is higher than the $82,211 average annual salary of an automotive engineer.
The top three skills for an automotive engineer include CAD, ISO and adaptive. The most important skills for an equipment engineer are equipment performance, semiconductor, and project management.
| Automotive Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,211 | $97,539 |
| Hourly rate | $39.52 | $46.89 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 104,464 | 108,449 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
The duties of an equipment engineer depend on one's organization or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around designing and developing mechanical and electronic equipment, analyzing and improving existing systems, performing customization according to customers' preferences, installing and removing attachments, and conducting regular maintenance procedures. An equipment engineer must also address issues and complaints, providing corrective measures promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, it is essential to coordinate with team members and other specialists, inspect and test new systems, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
Automotive engineers and equipment engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,211 | $97,539 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $118,000 | Between $69,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Belmont, CA | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Louisiana |
| Best paying company | Cal | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Energy |
There are a few differences between an automotive engineer and an equipment engineer in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between automotive engineers' and equipment engineers' demographics:
| Automotive Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.0% Female, 7.0% | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 15.1% White, 68.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |