Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between application engineers and project engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an application engineer and a project engineer. Additionally, an application engineer has an average salary of $92,921, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for an application engineer include technical support, java and C++. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Application Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,921 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $44.67 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 111,338 | 176,689 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An application engineer is responsible for creating and re-designing system applications based on clients' specifications and sales demands. Application engineers run diagnostic tests on software programs, identify areas of improvement, install necessary updates, upgrade optimization, revise system codes, and provide technical support for customers' needs. They also generate ideas and locate other business opportunities by analyzing current trends in the technology market that would help build revenues and increase profitability for the company. An application engineer must have a strong command of programming languages, software application processes, and general technology disciplines.
A Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation. The Project Engineer will also recommend material, equipment, and the type of personnel needed. This position is integral in the smooth flow of any project, so hiring someone to hold this position will decide the success of a project.
Application engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Application Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,921 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $125,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Morgan Lewis | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between an application engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Application Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between application engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Application Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 11.5% White, 74.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 5% |