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The differences between directors of manufacturing engineering and manufacturing engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a director of manufacturing engineering, becoming a manufacturing engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a director of manufacturing engineering has an average salary of $160,810, which is higher than the $78,522 average annual salary of a manufacturing engineer.
The top three skills for a director of manufacturing engineering include lean manufacturing, continuous improvement and project management. The most important skills for a manufacturing engineer are lean manufacturing, CAD, and solidworks.
| Director Of Manufacturing Engineering | Manufacturing Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $160,810 | $78,522 |
| Hourly rate | $77.31 | $37.75 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 86,306 | 115,384 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 48 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A director of manufacturing engineering oversees an organization's product development and manufacturing operations, ensuring procedures adhere to industry standards and regulations. They primarily set goals, develop strategies to optimize processes, conduct regular assessments and reviews, manage engineering teams, and coordinate with engineers and other experts in developing manufacturing plans. They also have the authority to make significant decisions, negotiate deals and contracts, and supervise the recruitment of employees. Moreover, a director of manufacturing engineering spearheads operations while implementing company policies and vision.
Manufacturing Engineers are responsible for handling and developing an efficient manufacturing system or procedure that will help a company produce up to standard products while in adherence to the policies, regulations, and expected cost and schedule. Furthermore, Manufacturing Engineers must also monitor quality control, identify or detect errors, provide and suggest improvements, oversee the procurement of materials involved in the production, and coordinate with various teams or departments within the company to ensure the effectiveness of innovations or new developments.
Directors of manufacturing engineering and manufacturing engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director Of Manufacturing Engineering | Manufacturing Engineer | |
| Average salary | $160,810 | $78,522 |
| Salary range | Between $113,000 And $227,000 | Between $60,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hayward, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a director of manufacturing engineering and a manufacturing engineer in terms of educational background:
| Director Of Manufacturing Engineering | Manufacturing Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between directors of manufacturing engineering' and manufacturing engineers' demographics:
| Director Of Manufacturing Engineering | Manufacturing Engineer | |
| Average age | 48 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.4% Female, 4.6% | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 11.7% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 17.0% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 5% |