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The differences between laser engineers and mechanical 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 mechanical engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a laser engineer has an average salary of $85,319, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a laser engineer include MATLAB, data collection and labview. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Laser Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,319 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $41.02 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 4,901 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| 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.
Mechanical Engineers oversee the development of various mechanical devices in different industries. Most of the responsibilities will revolve around crafting, improving, or designing technologies by utilizing extensive expertise in the subject; they identify and detect errors, provide in-depth analysis, and resolve issues. They are often in designated offices, but they can also work on-site and travel if necessary. Furthermore, Mechanical Engineers usually function in a group or team setting, often supervised by personnel in higher positions.
Laser engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laser Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,319 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $116,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a laser engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Laser Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Physics | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between laser engineers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Laser Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.8% Female, 5.2% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |