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The differences between laser engineers and equipment 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 an equipment engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an equipment engineer has an average salary of $97,539, 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 an equipment engineer are equipment performance, semiconductor, and project management.
| Laser Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,319 | $97,539 |
| Hourly rate | $41.02 | $46.89 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 4,901 | 108,449 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| 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.
The duties of an equipment engineer depend on one's organization or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around designing and developing mechanical and electronic equipment, analyzing and improving existing systems, performing customization according to customers' preferences, installing and removing attachments, and conducting regular maintenance procedures. An equipment engineer must also address issues and complaints, providing corrective measures promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, it is essential to coordinate with team members and other specialists, inspect and test new systems, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
Laser engineers and equipment engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laser Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,319 | $97,539 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $116,000 | Between $69,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Louisiana |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a laser engineer and an equipment engineer in terms of educational background:
| Laser Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Physics | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between laser engineers' and equipment engineers' demographics:
| Laser Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.8% Female, 5.2% | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 15.1% White, 68.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |