Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between research 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 research engineer and a tool engineer. Additionally, a tool engineer has an average salary of $101,135, 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 tool engineer are python, java, and CAD.
| Research Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,945 | $101,135 |
| Hourly rate | $46.61 | $48.62 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 136,763 | 98,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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 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.
Research engineers and tool engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average salary | $96,945 | $101,135 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $138,000 | Between $75,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Technology |
There are a few differences between a research engineer and a tool engineer in terms of educational background:
| Research Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between research engineers' and tool engineers' demographics:
| Research Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% | Male, 95.3% Female, 4.7% |
| 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, 3.4% 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% |