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The differences between laser engineers and cost engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a laser engineer, becoming a cost engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a cost engineer has an average salary of $87,901, which is higher than the $85,319 average annual salary of a laser engineer.
The top three skills for a laser engineer include MATLAB, data collection and labview. The most important skills for a cost engineer are project management, cost analysis, and construction management.
| Laser Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,319 | $87,901 |
| Hourly rate | $41.02 | $42.26 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 4,901 | 65,278 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A laser engineer is one who specializes in making and developing laser devices or machines that is for laser purposes. They supervises the laser team in operating and ensuring that all laser-related equipment is functioning well. They can also specialize in doing advanced optics or optic devices. Their responsibilities include the regular monitoring and optimization of laser outputs as well as finding out a reasonable solution on how to handles laser issues that will be arising.
A cost engineer is responsible for projecting cost and expenses reports for the production process, identify and mitigate risks, and develop strategic techniques to reduce the excessive financial loss for project buildings. Cost engineers conduct data and statistical analysis to measure time deliverables and quality checks to ensure profitability and adherence to business objectives. They research and negotiate materials from trusted suppliers and vendors with high-quality products that would meet construction designs and client specifications.
Laser engineers and cost engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laser Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,319 | $87,901 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $116,000 | Between $64,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a laser engineer and a cost engineer in terms of educational background:
| Laser Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Physics | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between laser engineers' and cost engineers' demographics:
| Laser Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.8% Female, 5.2% | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 18.0% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |