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The differences between optical design engineers and cost engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an optical design engineer and a cost engineer. Additionally, an optical design engineer has an average salary of $94,750, which is higher than the $87,901 average annual salary of a cost engineer.
The top three skills for an optical design engineer include optical design, MATLAB and zemax. The most important skills for a cost engineer are project management, cost analysis, and construction management.
| Optical Design Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,750 | $87,901 |
| Hourly rate | $45.55 | $42.26 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 49,731 | 65,278 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An optical design engineer is an optics specialists who uses their scientific skills to design solutions and solve optical problems. Optical design engineers are essential in the field of laser technology, telescopes, optical lenses, and fiber optics. You will be responsible for designing and building devices that enable better utilization of optics technology and requires in-depth scientific optical knowledge as well as high technical design abilities. Optical design engineers are problem solvers in the field of optics.
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.
Optical design engineers and cost engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optical Design Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average salary | $94,750 | $87,901 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $125,000 | Between $64,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Meta | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between an optical design engineer and a cost engineer in terms of educational background:
| Optical Design Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between optical design engineers' and cost engineers' demographics:
| Optical Design Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5% | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 17.2% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 6% | 6% |