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The differences between hydraulic engineers and product 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 hydraulic engineer and a product engineer. Additionally, a product engineer has an average salary of $89,645, which is higher than the $84,440 average annual salary of a hydraulic engineer.
The top three skills for a hydraulic engineer include hec ras, civil engineering and HEC-RAS. The most important skills for a product engineer are CAD, product design, and project management.
| Hydraulic Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,440 | $89,645 |
| Hourly rate | $40.60 | $43.10 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 91,749 | 157,888 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Hydraulics engineers are engineering professionals who design projects that are related to the movement and control of fluids. These engineers must perform many studies to understand water systems and design dams, drainage systems, and levees for the local government. They are required to participate in the water resources and flood control planning by creating a deep foundation and flood control structure designs. Hydraulics must also communicate with clients and governing bodies to address their concerns about stormwater and erosion.
A product engineer specializes in designing and developing commercial materials and services. They are primarily responsible for conducting thorough research and analysis of the latest trends and marketing conditions to come up with new ideas and products for the public. Moreover, they are also responsible for producing reports and presentations, coordinating with the development team of their company. Product engineers also reach out to vendors and suppliers for the raw materials, set regulations and standards for the product, and even conduct a rigorous and regular quality check.
Hydraulic engineers and product engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hydraulic Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,440 | $89,645 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $118,000 | Between $68,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Phillips 66 | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a hydraulic engineer and a product engineer in terms of educational background:
| Hydraulic Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between hydraulic engineers' and product engineers' demographics:
| Hydraulic Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4% | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 14.9% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.0% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |