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The differences between automotive engineers and tool 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 a tool engineer. Additionally, a tool engineer has an average salary of $101,135, 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 a tool engineer are python, java, and CAD.
| Automotive Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,211 | $101,135 |
| Hourly rate | $39.52 | $48.62 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 104,464 | 98,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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.
A tooling engineer is responsible for creating and adjusting tools or parts for cars, heavy equipment, and other products that need customized or personalized components. Your duties and responsibilities will include creating design blueprints, using computer-aided (CAD) software to develop two- and three-dimensional prints, and validating and evaluating products. As a tooling engineer, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with operational standards such as the ISO 9000. You also have to provide technical assistance to manufacturing personnel and quality assurance.
Automotive engineers and tool engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,211 | $101,135 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $118,000 | Between $75,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Belmont, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Cal | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Technology |
There are a few differences between an automotive engineer and a tool engineer in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between automotive engineers' and tool engineers' demographics:
| Automotive Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.0% Female, 7.0% | Male, 95.3% Female, 4.7% |
| 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, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |