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The differences between graduate 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 a graduate 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 $70,395 average annual salary of a graduate engineer.
The top three skills for a graduate engineer include civil 3d, cost estimates and project management. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Graduate Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,395 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $33.84 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 98,584 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A graduate engineer can work in different engineering subspecialties, such as mechanical, civil, chemical, aerospace, and electrical. Most graduate engineers work on projects while under the supervision and directives of a supervisor or senior engineer. Their duties usually involve identifying and understanding project requirements, conducting research and assessments, completing surveys, and preparing models using different tools and software. Additionally, a graduate engineer can also create designs and prototypes according to project requirements and guidelines, producing regular progress reports for supervisors.
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.
Graduate engineers and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graduate Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,395 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $89,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a graduate engineer and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Graduate Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between graduate engineers' and production engineers' demographics:
| Graduate Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.3% Female, 22.7% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 24.9% White, 57.3% 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 | 6% | 4% |