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The differences between associate design 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 associate design engineer and a project engineer. Additionally, a project engineer has an average salary of $75,050, which is higher than the $74,791 average annual salary of an associate design engineer.
The top three skills for an associate design engineer include design engineering, CAD and autocad. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Associate Design Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,791 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $35.96 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 108,860 | 176,689 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An Associate Design Engineer is a specialist focused on the engineering process design for various engineering disciplines, such as mechanical, electrical, or structural. Duties include designing and coordinating projects, conducting model making and product testing, identifying new processes that promote cost-savings, efficiency, and quality, and assisting the director in contract bidding. They are also involved in resource forecasting, budgeting, and technical report writing. An associate design engineer liaises with clients, contractors, and colleagues to ensure the project is delivered according to the timeline.
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.
Associate design engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Design Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,791 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $95,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Washington |
| Best paying company | Silicon Labs | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Energy |
There are a few differences between an associate design engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Associate Design Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between associate design engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Associate Design Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.3% Female, 15.7% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 5% | 5% |