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The differences between weapons engineers and equipment 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 weapons engineer and an equipment engineer. Additionally, a weapons engineer has an average salary of $99,077, which is higher than the $97,539 average annual salary of an equipment engineer.
The top three skills for a weapons engineer include engineering support, electrical systems and ammunition. The most important skills for an equipment engineer are equipment performance, semiconductor, and project management.
| Weapons Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $99,077 | $97,539 |
| Hourly rate | $47.63 | $46.89 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 85,352 | 108,449 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A weapons engineer is responsible for developing, testing, and managing weapons systems on behalf of a government organization. They may work as an electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, nuclear engineer, chemical engineer, or aerospace engineer. They specialize in developing weapon technologies and national security technologies. A university degree is required to work as a weapons engineer in any defense organization.
The duties of an equipment engineer depend on one's organization or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around designing and developing mechanical and electronic equipment, analyzing and improving existing systems, performing customization according to customers' preferences, installing and removing attachments, and conducting regular maintenance procedures. An equipment engineer must also address issues and complaints, providing corrective measures promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, it is essential to coordinate with team members and other specialists, inspect and test new systems, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
Weapons engineers and equipment engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Weapons Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Average salary | $99,077 | $97,539 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $150,000 | Between $69,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Louisiana |
| Best paying company | - | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a weapons engineer and an equipment engineer in terms of educational background:
| Weapons Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between weapons engineers' and equipment engineers' demographics:
| Weapons Engineer | Equipment Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4% | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% Asian, 11.1% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 15.1% White, 68.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |