Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between laboratory engineers and senior 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 laboratory engineer and a senior engineer. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $92,242 average annual salary of a laboratory engineer.
The top three skills for a laboratory engineer include C++, lab environment and UL. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Laboratory Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,242 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $44.35 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 121,212 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A laboratory engineer specializes in designing and developing tools and machinery for laboratory operations, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities include installing and maintaining equipment, performing extensive research and analysis, coordinating with other experts, and identifying areas needing improvement, implementing solutions as required. They must also conduct regular maintenance checks on systems, performing corrective measures promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a laboratory engineer, it is essential to provide technical support while implementing the facility's policies and regulations.
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Laboratory engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,242 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $135,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a laboratory engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between laboratory engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Laboratory Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 14.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |