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The differences between research engineers and senior 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 research engineer and a senior engineer. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $96,945 average annual salary of a research engineer.
The top three skills for a research engineer include python, java and software development. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Research Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,945 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $46.61 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 136,763 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Research engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $96,945 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $138,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a research engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Research Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between research engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Research Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |