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The differences between refrigeration engineers and research 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 research engineer. Additionally, a research engineer has an average salary of $96,945, which is higher than the $88,921 average annual salary of a refrigeration engineer.
The top three skills for a refrigeration engineer include HVAC, freon and plumbing. The most important skills for a research engineer are python, java, and software development.
| Refrigeration Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,921 | $96,945 |
| Hourly rate | $42.75 | $46.61 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 64,405 | 136,763 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| 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.
Research Engineers are responsible for a wide range of duties, including researching and developing new technologies and prototypes, and finding solutions to improve techniques, procedures, and technologies.
Refrigeration engineers and research engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Refrigeration Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,921 | $96,945 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $125,000 | Between $67,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Standex International | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a refrigeration engineer and a research engineer in terms of educational background:
| Refrigeration Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Heating And Air Conditioning | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Duke University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between refrigeration engineers' and research engineers' demographics:
| Refrigeration Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 99.0% Female, 1.0% | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |