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The differences between wind tunnel engineers and aeronautical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a wind tunnel engineer and an aeronautical engineer. Additionally, a wind tunnel engineer has an average salary of $92,133, which is higher than the $80,442 average annual salary of an aeronautical engineer.
The top three skills for a wind tunnel engineer include data analysis, labview and engineering support. The most important skills for an aeronautical engineer are MATLAB, airframe, and CAD.
| Wind Tunnel Engineer | Aeronautical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,133 | $80,442 |
| Hourly rate | $44.29 | $38.67 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 2,824 | 28,911 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Wind tunnel engineers and aeronautical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Wind Tunnel Engineer | Aeronautical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,133 | $80,442 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $126,000 | Between $59,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Walnut Creek, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Tesla | Terrafugia |
| Best paying industry | - | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a wind tunnel engineer and an aeronautical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Wind Tunnel Engineer | Aeronautical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Aerospace Engineering | Aerospace Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between wind tunnel engineers' and aeronautical engineers' demographics:
| Wind Tunnel Engineer | Aeronautical Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.2% Female, 4.8% | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 12.1% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.1% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |