Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between hvac engineers and research 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 research engineer. Additionally, a research engineer has an average salary of $96,945, 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 research engineer are python, java, and software development.
| Hvac Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,354 | $96,945 |
| Hourly rate | $33.82 | $46.61 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 101,743 | 136,763 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| 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.
Research Engineers are responsible for a wide range of duties, including researching and developing new technologies and prototypes, and finding solutions to improve techniques, procedures, and technologies.
Hvac engineers and research engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hvac Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,354 | $96,945 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $97,000 | Between $67,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | AbbVie | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a hvac engineer and a research engineer in terms of educational background:
| Hvac Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Duke University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between hvac engineers' and research engineers' demographics:
| Hvac Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.4% Female, 4.6% | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |