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The differences between operations engineers and building engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an operations engineer, becoming a building engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an operations engineer has an average salary of $91,522, which is higher than the $76,446 average annual salary of a building engineer.
The top three skills for an operations engineer include python, cloud and AWS. The most important skills for a building engineer are HVAC, ladders, and plumbing.
| Operations Engineer | Building Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,522 | $76,446 |
| Hourly rate | $44.00 | $36.75 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 155,188 | 13,440 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 41 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
An operations engineer is an individual who is responsible for ensuring that the operations of a company are working properly in industries such as manufacturing or shipping. Operations engineers are required to handle repairs or upgrades to the company's machinery and coordinate with department heads to assist in fine-tuning their operations system. When they have upgraded their system, operations engineers should conduct training with managers as well as employees and other workers. They are also required to examine machinery for defects and communicate maintenance schedules with department heads.
The job of building engineers is to provide advice on design, installation, and maintenance of energy-efficient and cost-effective systems for all building services, including lighting, water, and air conditioning. These professionals are responsible for the distribution of water supply and electricity and resolving tenants' maintenance problems such as plumbing and electrical systems. Additional duties of the building engineers include conducting tests on systems, ensuring compliance with health and safety requirements, and liaising with construction professionals like surveyors and electricians.
Operations engineers and building engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Operations Engineer | Building Engineer | |
| Average salary | $91,522 | $76,446 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $132,000 | Between $49,000 And $116,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an operations engineer and a building engineer in terms of educational background:
| Operations Engineer | Building Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Heating And Air Conditioning |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | - |
Here are the differences between operations engineers' and building engineers' demographics:
| Operations Engineer | Building Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 10.6% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 4.5% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 2% |