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The differences between patent agents and requirements engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a patent agent and a requirements engineer. Additionally, a requirements engineer has an average salary of $87,170, which is higher than the $65,466 average annual salary of a patent agent.
The top three skills for a patent agent include intellectual property, patent prosecution and law firm. The most important skills for a requirements engineer are java, software development, and powerpoint.
| Patent Agent | Requirements Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $65,466 | $87,170 |
| Hourly rate | $31.47 | $41.91 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 25,562 | 166,444 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 46 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A patent agent is responsible for monitoring the intellectual property rights of an existing patent invention and ensuring that new applications would not coincide with any registered patent. Patent agents handle the application processes and document verification for individuals or the government. They conduct in-depth research and discuss the process with the investors and inform them of any restrictions on issuance. A patent agent must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in performing duties and resolving issues timely and efficiently.
Requirements engineers are responsible for the analysis, documentation, coordination, and management of requirements regarding new software projects. They identify and understand the customer's project-specific demands and document them in a clear and binding way. Their duties and responsibilities also include preparing well-written and detailed documentation of the project and ensuring the project is designed and built within the legal parameters.
Patent agents and requirements engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Patent Agent | Requirements Engineer | |
| Average salary | $65,466 | $87,170 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $124,000 | Between $62,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a patent agent and a requirements engineer in terms of educational background:
| Patent Agent | Requirements Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between patent agents' and requirements engineers' demographics:
| Patent Agent | Requirements Engineer | |
| Average age | 46 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5% | Male, 64.5% Female, 35.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 8% |