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The differences between completion engineers and process engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a completion engineer, becoming a process engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a completion engineer has an average salary of $156,228, which is higher than the $82,443 average annual salary of a process engineer.
The top three skills for a completion engineer include rig, AFE and cost estimates. The most important skills for a process engineer are continuous improvement, sigma, and lean manufacturing.
| Completion Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $156,228 | $82,443 |
| Hourly rate | $75.11 | $39.64 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 11,512 | 66,937 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
Completion Engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for designing and monitoring well completions and ensuring the safety of drilling completion operations. These engineers must communicate instructions to the drilling contractors for all operations while emphasizing safety, well control, and LEAN. They are required to conduct meetings on multiple onsite safety and analysis of hazardous materials to improve workplace safety. Completion Engineers must also work closely with the senior management to establish standard operating procedures that follow the industry and government regulations.
A Process Engineer is responsible for coming up with innovative ways to process particular raw materials into different kinds of products. They can also modify various existing machines or maintain their quality by monitoring its functions and conducting tests and examinations. A Process Engineer must do numerous analyses and research to gather data that would help determine possible improvements or decisions to uphold. Furthermore, A Process Engineer also has the task of procuring and installing new equipment, collecting and interpreting data, assessing risks, and ensuring that tasks are done safely.
Completion engineers and process engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Completion Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average salary | $156,228 | $82,443 |
| Salary range | Between $107,000 And $227,000 | Between $62,000 And $108,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Rio Rancho, NM |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | New Mexico |
| Best paying company | Devon Energy | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Technology |
There are a few differences between a completion engineer and a process engineer in terms of educational background:
| Completion Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Petroleum Engineering | Chemical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between completion engineers' and process engineers' demographics:
| Completion Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.4% Female, 8.6% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 17.1% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 15.6% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 4% |