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The differences between evaluation engineers and production engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an evaluation engineer, becoming a production engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a production engineer has an average salary of $89,727, which is higher than the $78,150 average annual salary of an evaluation engineer.
The top three skills for an evaluation engineer include MATLAB, test equipment and PCB. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Evaluation Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $78,150 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $37.57 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 86,041 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
The evaluation engineer's main job is to coordinate, monitor, and evaluate lower-grade engineers and technicians and track the progress and results they have obtained. They can also recommend repair and significant design modification changes to achieve overall objectives. They determine the equipment and materials needed for each project. They also analyze cost, capacity, electronics system requirements, and client's needs to determine project feasibility. They prepare the documentation that contains confidential information such as descriptions, specifications of hardware and software propriety, product development, schedules, product information, and product performance and weaknesses.
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.
Evaluation engineers and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Evaluation Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $78,150 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $99,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an evaluation engineer and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Evaluation Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between evaluation engineers' and production engineers' demographics:
| Evaluation Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.0% Female, 13.0% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 15.4% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 5% | 4% |