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The differences between drilling fluids engineers and 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 drilling fluids 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 $89,974 average annual salary of a drilling fluids engineer.
The top three skills for a drilling fluids engineer include drilling fluid, fluid systems and polymer. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Drilling Fluids Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,974 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $43.26 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 5,121 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
Together with a drilling rig engineer, a drilling fluids engineer helps with the pumping of fluids, testing liquids for unwanted particles. They also are involved in mixing fluids needed to drill oil or gas. Another task is providing reports for fluid properties acquired and giving recommendations. They keep a timely record of the performance of each staff member. If staffing is inadequate, they are also tasked to calculate funds for the drilling, allocating budget in both the procedures and miscellaneous expenses.
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.
Drilling fluids engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Drilling Fluids Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,974 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $154,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | Houston, TX | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Koch Industries | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a drilling fluids engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Drilling Fluids Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between drilling fluids engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Drilling Fluids Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 17.0% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 5% | 5% |