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The differences between avionics engineers and aeronautical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an avionics engineer and an aeronautical engineer. Additionally, an avionics engineer has an average salary of $95,470, which is higher than the $80,442 average annual salary of an aeronautical engineer.
The top three skills for an avionics engineer include FAA, avionics systems and electrical systems. The most important skills for an aeronautical engineer are MATLAB, airframe, and CAD.
| Avionics Engineer | Aeronautical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $95,470 | $80,442 |
| Hourly rate | $45.90 | $38.67 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 30,744 | 28,911 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Avionics Engineers are responsible for the design and development of avionics systems. They are involved in implementing economic and innovative techniques for avionic systems manufacturing, testing all parts and systems, rectifying faulty parts, and scheduling maintenance and inspection. They also prepare progress reports to update stakeholders involved, assist in proposals and bid preparation, and develop training programs for their junior engineering staff. Avionics Engineers must always comply with government regulations and industry best practices.
Aeronautical engineers are responsible for designing and testing products for aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, and satellites. Their tasks involve creating and examining blueprints, starting the criteria for a design system, scanning proposals, and correlating teams from design to manufacturing. They work full-time and often require extra hours to work on larger projects, keep track of progress, and make sure that the designs match the mandatory requirements. Individuals who preferred for the job are those who can communicate well, can control their time effectively and perform on diverse projects at once, and who love working as a part of a team towards common goals.
Avionics engineers and aeronautical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Avionics Engineer | Aeronautical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $95,470 | $80,442 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $135,000 | Between $59,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Englewood, CO | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Colorado | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Allegiant International | Terrafugia |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an avionics engineer and an aeronautical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Avionics Engineer | Aeronautical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Aerospace Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between avionics engineers' and aeronautical engineers' demographics:
| Avionics Engineer | Aeronautical Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.4% Female, 7.6% | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 11.0% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.1% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |