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The differences between senior 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 senior research engineer and a tool engineer. Additionally, a senior research engineer has an average salary of $115,047, which is higher than the $101,135 average annual salary of a tool engineer.
The top three skills for a senior research engineer include python, java and project management. The most important skills for a tool engineer are python, java, and CAD.
| Senior Research Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $115,047 | $101,135 |
| Hourly rate | $55.31 | $48.62 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 120,798 | 98,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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 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.
Senior research engineers and tool engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Research Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average salary | $115,047 | $101,135 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $151,000 | Between $75,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Netflix | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior research engineer and a tool engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Research Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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 tool engineers' demographics:
| Senior Research Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% | Male, 95.3% Female, 4.7% |
| 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, 3.4% 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% |