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The differences between stress engineers and field engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a stress engineer, becoming a field engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a stress engineer has an average salary of $107,036, which is higher than the $71,874 average annual salary of a field engineer.
The top three skills for a stress engineer include finite element analysis, structural analysis and autocad. The most important skills for a field engineer are customer service, customer satisfaction, and project management.
| Stress Engineer | Field Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,036 | $71,874 |
| Hourly rate | $51.46 | $34.55 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 36,117 | 86,015 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A stress engineer specializes in conducting analysis and assessments on structures and components, mainly using stress to test its structural integrity. They may work in various industries such as automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and even medical. Although their duties may vary upon the industry, they are typically in charge of performing extensive research and analysis, coordinating with architects and engineers, designing and building prototypes, and maintaining records of all procedures. Furthermore, a stress engineer must produce detailed progress and findings reports in adherence to project deadlines and company policies.
A field engineer's role will vary on the industry or line of work involved. However, the primary responsibility will mostly revolve around handling equipment and machinery, ensuring that they function effectively and safely. It is also the task of a field engineer to oversee the workflow and workforce, giving directions and recommendations when necessary. Furthermore, a field engineer must develop strategies and plans to improve the site's efficiency, produce progress reports, and coordinate with other workers.
Stress engineers and field engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Stress Engineer | Field Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,036 | $71,874 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $156,000 | Between $51,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | CTS | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Energy |
There are a few differences between a stress engineer and a field engineer in terms of educational background:
| Stress Engineer | Field Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between stress engineers' and field engineers' demographics:
| Stress Engineer | Field Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3% | Male, 92.7% Female, 7.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 19.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |