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The differences between senior research engineers and senior 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 senior research engineer and a senior project engineer. Additionally, a senior research engineer has an average salary of $115,047, which is higher than the $97,803 average annual salary of a senior project engineer.
The top three skills for a senior research engineer include python, java and project management. The most important skills for a senior project engineer are project management, construction management, and CAD.
| Senior Research Engineer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $115,047 | $97,803 |
| Hourly rate | $55.31 | $47.02 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 120,798 | 146,838 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Senior Research Engineer leads a team of engineers to develop and implement innovative products and technologies. They also provide training and technical support.
A senior project engineer is responsible for monitoring the project team's overall process and operations from conceptualization until completion, ensuring the adherence to the clients' specifications, within the budget's goals, and the required deadline. Senior project engineers regularly communicate with the client regarding updates or necessary adjustments. They develop strategic procedures to finish the project efficiently by running diagnostic tests and troubleshooting discrepancies. A senior project engineer must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the team's performance and provide assistance when necessary.
Senior research engineers and senior project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Research Engineer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $115,047 | $97,803 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $151,000 | Between $77,000 And $124,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Netflix | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior research engineer and a senior project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Research Engineer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior research engineers' and senior project engineers' demographics:
| Senior Research Engineer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.0% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 14.8% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |