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The differences between lead operations engineers and engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a lead operations engineer, becoming an engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a lead operations engineer has an average salary of $104,981, which is higher than the $92,077 average annual salary of an engineer.
The top three skills for a lead operations engineer include preventative maintenance, HVAC and plumbing. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Lead Operations Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,981 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $50.47 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 84,056 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A lead Operation Engineer is the person who supervises plant operations. They identify and resolves operation problems by studying the performance and function of a system. They monitor and evaluate workers under their department. They also practice the objectives of a project, including safety, the convenience of operation, efficiency, quality, and the cost and time of operations. Other duties include improving the quality of operations, designs and contributing to the system's changes and modification.
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Lead operations engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Operations Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $104,981 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $145,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Apple | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Real Estate | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a lead operations engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Operations Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between lead operations engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Lead Operations Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 8.7% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 5% |