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The differences between materials research engineers and cost engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cost engineer has an average salary of $87,901, which is higher than the $87,100 average annual salary of a materials research engineer.
The top three skills for a materials research engineer include materials research, research projects and characterization techniques. The most important skills for a cost engineer are project management, cost analysis, and construction management.
| Materials Research Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,100 | $87,901 |
| Hourly rate | $41.88 | $42.26 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 82,912 | 65,278 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
A materials research engineer researches, processes, and develops test materials used to create a wide range of products. They must be good in analytical, mechanical, and math skills. They are likely to perform in their role such as formulating their own project concepts, executing technology projects about the development of novel polymer fiber-reinforced composites, and identifying unknown material compositions. Also, they implement powder processing equipment and manufacture tools to improve their efficiency and quality.
A cost engineer is responsible for projecting cost and expenses reports for the production process, identify and mitigate risks, and develop strategic techniques to reduce the excessive financial loss for project buildings. Cost engineers conduct data and statistical analysis to measure time deliverables and quality checks to ensure profitability and adherence to business objectives. They research and negotiate materials from trusted suppliers and vendors with high-quality products that would meet construction designs and client specifications.
Materials research engineers and cost engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Research Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average salary | $87,100 | $87,901 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $111,000 | Between $64,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beaverton, OR | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Nike | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a materials research engineer and a cost engineer in terms of educational background:
| Materials Research Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Materials Science And Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between materials research engineers' and cost engineers' demographics:
| Materials Research Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.1% Unknown, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 19.6% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 6% |