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The differences between optoelectronics engineers and mechanical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an optoelectronics engineer, becoming a mechanical engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an optoelectronics engineer has an average salary of $82,951, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for an optoelectronics engineer include MATLAB, and . The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Optoelectronics Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,951 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $39.88 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 18,755 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Optoelectronics engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optoelectronics Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,951 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $105,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between an optoelectronics engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Optoelectronics Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between optoelectronics engineers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Optoelectronics Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.8% Female, 6.3% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 10.5% White, 73.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |