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The differences between refrigeration engineers and tool 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 tool engineer. Additionally, a tool engineer has an average salary of $101,135, 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 tool engineer are python, java, and CAD.
| Refrigeration Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,921 | $101,135 |
| Hourly rate | $42.75 | $48.62 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 64,405 | 98,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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 tooling engineer is responsible for creating and adjusting tools or parts for cars, heavy equipment, and other products that need customized or personalized components. Your duties and responsibilities will include creating design blueprints, using computer-aided (CAD) software to develop two- and three-dimensional prints, and validating and evaluating products. As a tooling engineer, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with operational standards such as the ISO 9000. You also have to provide technical assistance to manufacturing personnel and quality assurance.
Refrigeration engineers and tool engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Refrigeration Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,921 | $101,135 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $125,000 | Between $75,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Standex International | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a refrigeration engineer and a tool engineer in terms of educational background:
| Refrigeration Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Heating And Air Conditioning | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Duke University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between refrigeration engineers' and tool engineers' demographics:
| Refrigeration Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 99.0% Female, 1.0% | Male, 95.3% Female, 4.7% |
| 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, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |