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The differences between hvac engineers and design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a hvac engineer and a design engineer. Additionally, a design engineer has an average salary of $77,134, which is higher than the $70,354 average annual salary of a hvac engineer.
The top three skills for a hvac engineer include plumbing, preventive maintenance and electrical equipment. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Hvac Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,354 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $33.82 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 101,743 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning) engineer is responsible for managing the efficiency and stability of cooling and heating systems. HVAC engineers install the system's components, requiring them to have an excellent analysis of schematics and blueprints. They also conduct regular inspection and cleaning services to ensure that the systems work on their optimal performance. An HVAC engineer must have excellent organizational and mechanical skills, especially in understanding system complexities and the ability to identify inconsistencies immediately.
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
Hvac engineers and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hvac Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,354 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $97,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | AbbVie | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a hvac engineer and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Hvac Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Duke University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between hvac engineers' and design engineers' demographics:
| Hvac Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.4% Female, 4.6% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 13.3% White, 69.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |