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The differences between loads engineers and stress 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 loads engineer and a stress engineer. Additionally, a stress engineer has an average salary of $107,036, which is higher than the $98,255 average annual salary of a loads engineer.
The top three skills for a loads engineer include MATLAB, loads analysis and dynamic analysis. The most important skills for a stress engineer are finite element analysis, structural analysis, and autocad.
| Loads Engineer | Stress Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $98,255 | $107,036 |
| Hourly rate | $47.24 | $51.46 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 5,786 | 36,117 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A loads engineer is a person who oversees and supervises different loads. They are responsible for designing and analyzing a load and how certain structures resist a load. This career requires someone who is physically fit as they are responsible for some of the labor involved with designing a building or a structure. Loads engineers are the ones who determine the possible problems that may be encountered mainly on the gravitational support and force resistance of structures such as bridges, buildings, and other establishments.
A stress engineer specializes in conducting analysis and assessments on structures and components, mainly using stress to test its structural integrity. They may work in various industries such as automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and even medical. Although their duties may vary upon the industry, they are typically in charge of performing extensive research and analysis, coordinating with architects and engineers, designing and building prototypes, and maintaining records of all procedures. Furthermore, a stress engineer must produce detailed progress and findings reports in adherence to project deadlines and company policies.
Loads engineers and stress engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Loads Engineer | Stress Engineer | |
| Average salary | $98,255 | $107,036 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $140,000 | Between $73,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | Folsom, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Amazon | CTS |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Professional |
There are a few differences between a loads engineer and a stress engineer in terms of educational background:
| Loads Engineer | Stress Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Aerospace Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between loads engineers' and stress engineers' demographics:
| Loads Engineer | Stress Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% | Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 11.0% White, 69.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 19.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |