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The differences between hvac engineers and staff 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 staff engineer. Additionally, a staff engineer has an average salary of $107,530, 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 staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Hvac Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,354 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $33.82 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 101,743 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| 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.
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
Hvac engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hvac Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,354 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $97,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | AbbVie | Flexport |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a hvac engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Hvac Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Duke University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between hvac engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Hvac Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.4% Female, 4.6% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |