Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between flight 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 flight 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 $85,035 average annual salary of a flight engineer.
The top three skills for a flight engineer include FAA, flight operations and simulator. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Flight Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,035 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $40.88 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 2,042 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A Flight Engineer monitors and controls various aircraft systems, such as airplanes and helicopters. They ensure that all components of the plane are in proper working order, as well as diagnose and rectify problems that may arise.
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.
Flight engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Flight Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,035 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $129,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | Gilbert, AZ | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Learjet | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a flight engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Flight Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between flight engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Flight Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% Asian, 2.7% White, 81.9% 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 | 9% | 5% |