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The differences between refrigeration engineers and project engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a refrigeration engineer and a project engineer. Additionally, a refrigeration engineer has an average salary of $88,921, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for a refrigeration engineer include HVAC, freon and plumbing. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Refrigeration Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,921 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $42.75 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 64,405 | 176,689 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Refrigeration engineers are generally called to design and oversee the fabrication of both residential and industrial refrigeration systems, as well as troubleshoot any potential problems therewith. This choice of career will require a good knowledge base of thermodynamics, as well as computer-aided design systems. Refrigeration engineers must also have an understanding of health and safety regulation standards.
A Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation. The Project Engineer will also recommend material, equipment, and the type of personnel needed. This position is integral in the smooth flow of any project, so hiring someone to hold this position will decide the success of a project.
Refrigeration engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Refrigeration Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,921 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $125,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Standex International | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Energy |
There are a few differences between a refrigeration engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Refrigeration Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Heating And Air Conditioning | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Duke University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between refrigeration engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Refrigeration Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 99.0% Female, 1.0% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 10.4% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |