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The differences between engineering trainees and student engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an engineering trainee and a student engineer. Additionally, a student engineer has an average salary of $71,947, which is higher than the $60,235 average annual salary of an engineering trainee.
The top three skills for an engineering trainee include fire protection, technical support and R. The most important skills for a student engineer are GPA, C++, and CAD.
| Engineering Trainee | Student Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $60,235 | $71,947 |
| Hourly rate | $28.96 | $34.59 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 79,966 | 98,036 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An engineering trainee is responsible for shadowing engineers in their duties and performing administrative tasks as needed. Engineering trainees assist the engineers in inspecting construction sites and conducting field research. They also identify cost-efficient materials and resources that meet quality standards and client specifications. An engineering trainee must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports, attending meetings, and ensuring that all reports are submitted for management's reviews, such as contracts from suppliers and vendors.
A student engineer is an individual who trains to become a full pledge professional engineer by gaining working experience in the field of engineering. By using their knowledge in the principles of science and mathematics, student engineers should help other professionals develop economical solutions and solve technical problems. They are required to engage themselves in the testing, production, or maintenance of newly developed products. Student engineers are also required to work closely with their senior managers or supervisors.
Engineering trainees and student engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Trainee | Student Engineer | |
| Average salary | $60,235 | $71,947 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $82,000 | Between $54,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Livingston, NJ | Yakima, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | Crown Holdings | JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an engineering trainee and a student engineer in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Trainee | Student Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between engineering trainees' and student engineers' demographics:
| Engineering Trainee | Student Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.0% Female, 20.0% | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 25.1% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 15.9% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |