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The differences between clinical engineers and research and development 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 a research and development engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a research and development engineer has an average salary of $100,169, 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 a research and development engineer are python, R, and solidworks.
| Clinical Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,883 | $100,169 |
| Hourly rate | $36.48 | $48.16 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 80,770 | 187,910 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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.
Research and development engineers generally execute research and tests on product ideas, develop new products, and perform redesigns. They are employed in many industries, including manufacturing, electrical, and science-based companies. Their duties vary and depend on the industries they work in. Responsibilities of these engineers include developing new technologies, designing products, and managing the projects until they are completed. Additionally, they lead the project team members to manage their schedules, design the project plans, and collaborate with key departments in developing new products.
Clinical engineers and research and development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,883 | $100,169 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $102,000 | Between $74,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Regeneron | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a clinical engineer and a research and development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Biomedical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between clinical engineers' and research and development engineers' demographics:
| Clinical Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.3% Female, 22.7% | Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 5% |