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The differences between stress engineers and research 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 research engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a stress engineer has an average salary of $107,036, which is higher than the $96,945 average annual salary of a research engineer.
The top three skills for a stress engineer include finite element analysis, structural analysis and autocad. The most important skills for a research engineer are python, java, and software development.
| Stress Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,036 | $96,945 |
| Hourly rate | $51.46 | $46.61 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 36,117 | 136,763 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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.
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.
Stress engineers and research engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Stress Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,036 | $96,945 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $156,000 | Between $67,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | CTS | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a stress engineer and a research engineer in terms of educational background:
| Stress Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between stress engineers' and research engineers' demographics:
| Stress Engineer | Research Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3% | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |