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The differences between clinical engineers and engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a clinical engineer, becoming an engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an engineer has an average salary of $92,077, which is higher than the $75,883 average annual salary of a clinical engineer.
The top three skills for a clinical engineer include patient care, medical devices and patients. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Clinical Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,883 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $36.48 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 80,770 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A clinical engineer is responsible for designing and creating medical equipment and technology for medical procedures and examinations. Clinical engineers maintain and inspect the performance of machinery regularly to ensure the accuracy of results and prevent potential hazards. They also conduct quality control tests to locate system failures and perform immediate troubleshooting as necessary. A clinical engineer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in identifying the most needed equipment for treating and diagnosing patients.
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Clinical engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,883 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $102,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Regeneron | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a clinical engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Biomedical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between clinical engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Clinical Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.3% Female, 22.7% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 14.1% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 5% |