Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between associate process engineers and product development engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a product development engineer has an average salary of $86,075, which is higher than the $79,046 average annual salary of an associate process engineer.
The top three skills for an associate process engineer include process engineering, lean manufacturing and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a product development engineer are CAD, solidworks, and product development.
| Associate Process Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $79,046 | $86,075 |
| Hourly rate | $38.00 | $41.38 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 57,344 | 202,155 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
An associate process engineer specializes in designing and developing machinery and equipment to optimize business processes and operations. Their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses in the existing production processes, devising strategies for optimal performance, and coordinating with the workforce for further analysis. An associate process engineer may also install and repair equipment, test new systems, and conduct regular maintenance checks to maintain a safe and productive work environment for everyone.
A Product Development Engineer is responsible for creating and testing new product designs. They collaborate with market researchers to evaluate market needs, existing competition, and potential costs.
Associate process engineers and product development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Process Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $79,046 | $86,075 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $96,000 | Between $64,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tulsa, OK | Sunnyvale, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | California |
| Best paying company | Tesoro | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between an associate process engineer and a product development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Associate Process Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between associate process engineers' and product development engineers' demographics:
| Associate Process Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.7% Female, 29.3% | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 20.4% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 5% |