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The differences between laboratory engineers and systems engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a laboratory engineer, becoming a systems engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a laboratory engineer has an average salary of $92,242, which is higher than the $82,834 average annual salary of a systems engineer.
The top three skills for a laboratory engineer include C++, lab environment and UL. The most important skills for a systems engineer are python, linux, and C++.
| Laboratory Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,242 | $82,834 |
| Hourly rate | $44.35 | $39.82 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 121,212 | 145,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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.
Systems engineers are responsible for creating and overseeing systems related to the overall operations of the organization. They are in charge of assessing the organization's needs in terms of systems and creating plans to address these needs. These systems are usually related to the production or manufacturing of company products. Systems engineers create end-to-end processes that ensure efficiency and effectiveness. They make sure that the processes they put in place adhere to safety and security policies and guidelines. They also do routine checks and continuously find ways to further improve production and other systems.
Laboratory engineers and systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,242 | $82,834 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $135,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a laboratory engineer and a systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between laboratory engineers' and systems engineers' demographics:
| Laboratory Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.7% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |