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The differences between completion engineers and research engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a completion engineer, becoming a research engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a completion engineer has an average salary of $156,228, which is higher than the $96,945 average annual salary of a research engineer.
The top three skills for a completion engineer include rig, AFE and cost estimates. The most important skills for a research engineer are python, java, and software development.
| Completion Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $156,228 | $96,945 |
| Hourly rate | $75.11 | $46.61 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 11,512 | 136,763 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
Completion Engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for designing and monitoring well completions and ensuring the safety of drilling completion operations. These engineers must communicate instructions to the drilling contractors for all operations while emphasizing safety, well control, and LEAN. They are required to conduct meetings on multiple onsite safety and analysis of hazardous materials to improve workplace safety. Completion Engineers must also work closely with the senior management to establish standard operating procedures that follow the industry and government regulations.
Research Engineers are responsible for a wide range of duties, including researching and developing new technologies and prototypes, and finding solutions to improve techniques, procedures, and technologies.
Completion engineers and research engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Completion Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Average salary | $156,228 | $96,945 |
| Salary range | Between $107,000 And $227,000 | Between $67,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Devon Energy | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a completion engineer and a research engineer in terms of educational background:
| Completion Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Petroleum Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between completion engineers' and research engineers' demographics:
| Completion Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.4% Female, 8.6% | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 17.1% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |