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The differences between cost engineers and packaging engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a cost engineer, becoming a packaging engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a packaging engineer has an average salary of $88,452, which is higher than the $87,901 average annual salary of a cost engineer.
The top three skills for a cost engineer include project management, cost analysis and construction management. The most important skills for a packaging engineer are CAD, project management, and solidworks.
| Cost Engineer | Packaging Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,901 | $88,452 |
| Hourly rate | $42.26 | $42.52 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 65,278 | 54,028 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A cost engineer is responsible for projecting cost and expenses reports for the production process, identify and mitigate risks, and develop strategic techniques to reduce the excessive financial loss for project buildings. Cost engineers conduct data and statistical analysis to measure time deliverables and quality checks to ensure profitability and adherence to business objectives. They research and negotiate materials from trusted suppliers and vendors with high-quality products that would meet construction designs and client specifications.
A Packaging Engineer plans and implements packaging designs to ensure product integrity and appeal. Their primary duties include supervising and managing the complete packaging development process, analyzing engineering drawings, and conducting periodic vendor reviews.
Cost engineers and packaging engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cost Engineer | Packaging Engineer | |
| Average salary | $87,901 | $88,452 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $120,000 | Between $65,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a cost engineer and a packaging engineer in terms of educational background:
| Cost Engineer | Packaging Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Engineering And Industrial Management |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between cost engineers' and packaging engineers' demographics:
| Cost Engineer | Packaging Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% | Male, 77.1% Female, 22.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 13.1% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 4% |