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The differences between engineering project specialists and production 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 an engineering project specialist, becoming a production engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an engineering project specialist has an average salary of $107,780, which is higher than the $89,727 average annual salary of a production engineer.
The top three skills for an engineering project specialist include project management, program management and BOM. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Engineering Project Specialist | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,780 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $51.82 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 64,773 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 48 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
The primary role of an engineering project specialist is overseeing the project process until its completion. They are the ones who are in constant communication with the contractors, suppliers, and stakeholders, from accounting to inventory to deliveries and even to hiring new staff to increase the workforce, so that a project will be completed on time, with no missing parts, and with no fail. If a problem arises, engineering project specialists can troubleshoot and find a timely solution.
A production engineer is responsible for monitoring the production operations, ensuring everyone's adherence to safety protocols, and evaluating the staff's performance, strategizing on maximizing productivity to deliver efficient results that would drive revenues and increase profitability. Production engineers inspect the reliability of production equipment and machinery, conducting preventive maintenance, and repair inconsistencies to prevent production delays. They also identify areas of improvement with the manufacturing processes and escalate best practices for improvement. A production engineer must be knowledgeable about technological advancements and incorporate ideas to minimize costs without sacrificing the quality of services.
Engineering project specialists and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Project Specialist | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,780 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $164,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Farmington, CT | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an engineering project specialist and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Project Specialist | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between engineering project specialists' and production engineers' demographics:
| Engineering Project Specialist | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 48 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.9% Female, 31.1% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 11.9% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 4% |