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The differences between junior design engineers and project engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a junior design engineer and a project engineer. Additionally, a project engineer has an average salary of $75,050, which is higher than the $59,383 average annual salary of a junior design engineer.
The top three skills for a junior design engineer include engineering drawings, solidworks and auto cad. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Junior Design Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $59,383 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $28.55 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 122,180 | 176,689 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Junior Design Engineers are responsible for providing design assistance and administrative engineering support for an organization. Their duties include designing 3-dimensional models and prototypes, producing detailed drawings, assisting in tender proposal submissions, and documentation for product compliance. They are responsible for managing product literature and crib sheets and generating bills of material (BOM). Junior design engineers also assist in defining product specifications and liaise with stakeholders to obtain design approval. They must possess knowledge in using design software such as AutoCAD, Visualize, and Solidworks.
A Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation. The Project Engineer will also recommend material, equipment, and the type of personnel needed. This position is integral in the smooth flow of any project, so hiring someone to hold this position will decide the success of a project.
Junior design engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Design Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $59,383 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $86,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Washington |
| Best paying company | Micron Technology | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Energy |
There are a few differences between a junior design engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Design Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between junior design engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Junior Design Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.2% Female, 12.8% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |