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The differences between compliance engineers and engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a compliance engineer, becoming an engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a compliance engineer has an average salary of $97,578, which is higher than the $92,077 average annual salary of an engineer.
The top three skills for a compliance engineer include regulatory compliance, ISO and project management. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Compliance Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,578 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $46.91 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 43,447 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A compliance engineer specializes in developing systems and strategies to ensure that all products adhere to the company's safety and quality standards. Their responsibilities include coordinating with departments and staff to gather and analyze data, developing test procedures and guidelines, analyzing existing compliance procedures to identify areas needing improvement, implementing solutions, and maintaining records of all procedures and test results. Furthermore, a compliance engineer must prepare and submit compliance reports and analysis, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Compliance engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Compliance Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,578 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $138,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Meta | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a compliance engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Compliance Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between compliance engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Compliance Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.4% Female, 19.6% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 13.1% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 4% | 5% |