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The differences between laser engineers and process engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a laser engineer and a process engineer. Additionally, a laser engineer has an average salary of $85,319, which is higher than the $82,443 average annual salary of a process engineer.
The top three skills for a laser engineer include MATLAB, data collection and labview. The most important skills for a process engineer are continuous improvement, sigma, and lean manufacturing.
| Laser Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,319 | $82,443 |
| Hourly rate | $41.02 | $39.64 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 4,901 | 66,937 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 Process Engineer is responsible for coming up with innovative ways to process particular raw materials into different kinds of products. They can also modify various existing machines or maintain their quality by monitoring its functions and conducting tests and examinations. A Process Engineer must do numerous analyses and research to gather data that would help determine possible improvements or decisions to uphold. Furthermore, A Process Engineer also has the task of procuring and installing new equipment, collecting and interpreting data, assessing risks, and ensuring that tasks are done safely.
Laser engineers and process engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laser Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,319 | $82,443 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $116,000 | Between $62,000 And $108,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Rio Rancho, NM |
| Highest paying state | California | New Mexico |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a laser engineer and a process engineer in terms of educational background:
| Laser Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Physics | Chemical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between laser engineers' and process engineers' demographics:
| Laser Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.8% Female, 5.2% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| 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, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 15.6% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 4% |