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The differences between field engineers and office 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 field engineer, becoming an office engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an office engineer has an average salary of $89,581, which is higher than the $71,874 average annual salary of a field engineer.
The top three skills for a field engineer include customer service, customer satisfaction and project management. The most important skills for an office engineer are construction management, construction sites, and shop drawings.
| Field Engineer | Office Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $71,874 | $89,581 |
| Hourly rate | $34.55 | $43.07 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 86,015 | 59,644 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A field engineer's role will vary on the industry or line of work involved. However, the primary responsibility will mostly revolve around handling equipment and machinery, ensuring that they function effectively and safely. It is also the task of a field engineer to oversee the workflow and workforce, giving directions and recommendations when necessary. Furthermore, a field engineer must develop strategies and plans to improve the site's efficiency, produce progress reports, and coordinate with other workers.
The duties of an office engineer depend on one's place or industry of employment. Their responsibilities typically revolve around providing technical and clerical support to the workforce, coordinating different parties involved in a project or program, and implementing the company's policies and regulations. Moreover, as an office engineer, it is essential to produce progress reports and presentations, maintain accurate data and records of all transactions, manage schedules, perform maintenance checks, and address issues and concerns, providing corrective measures promptly and efficiently.
Field engineers and office engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Engineer | Office Engineer | |
| Average salary | $71,874 | $89,581 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $99,000 | Between $65,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Retail |
There are a few differences between a field engineer and an office engineer in terms of educational background:
| Field Engineer | Office Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | New York University |
Here are the differences between field engineers' and office engineers' demographics:
| Field Engineer | Office Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.7% Female, 7.3% | Male, 74.3% Female, 25.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |