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The differences between optical engineers and commercial engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a commercial engineer has an average salary of $102,947, which is higher than the $99,814 average annual salary of an optical engineer.
The top three skills for an optical engineer include zemax, data analysis and optical components. The most important skills for a commercial engineer are HVAC, plumbing, and customer support.
| Optical Engineer | Commercial Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $99,814 | $102,947 |
| Hourly rate | $47.99 | $49.49 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 26,628 | 34,390 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Optical engineers and commercial engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optical Engineer | Commercial Engineer | |
| Average salary | $99,814 | $102,947 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $140,000 | Between $68,000 And $155,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Diamond Bar, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Mexico |
| Best paying company | Meta | Nike |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an optical engineer and a commercial engineer in terms of educational background:
| Optical Engineer | Commercial Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Physics | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between optical engineers' and commercial engineers' demographics:
| Optical Engineer | Commercial Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8% | Male, 79.8% Female, 20.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 27.1% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 17.2% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |