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The differences between junior process engineers and quality engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a junior process engineer and a quality engineer. Additionally, a quality engineer has an average salary of $79,672, which is higher than the $69,606 average annual salary of a junior process engineer.
The top three skills for a junior process engineer include p id, lean manufacturing and sigma. The most important skills for a quality engineer are corrective action, continuous improvement, and ISO.
| Junior Process Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $69,606 | $79,672 |
| Hourly rate | $33.46 | $38.30 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 63,010 | 96,838 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Typically working in the manufacturing industry, a junior process engineer is in charge of designing and developing procedures to optimize manufacturing operations. Among their responsibilities include understanding and identifying the needs of the company, gathering and analyzing data, developing prototypes and test structures, managing budgets and timelines, and producing regular progress reports. They may also assess existing systems and procedures, recommending solutions against problem areas. Furthermore, as a junior process engineer, it is essential to provide support to staff while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A quality engineer's responsibilities include ensuring that the manufacturing processes are efficient and accurate, documenting findings that would raise concerns, conducting quality tests while observing parameters, and implementing changes as necessary to meet the highest quality standards. Quality engineers need to have excellent problem-solving and observation skills to detect any irregularities and possible malfunctions. They also must be able to communicate effectively with the clients for feedbacks and corrective adjustments, address complaints, and immediately resolve any inconsistencies made.
Junior process engineers and quality engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Process Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Average salary | $69,606 | $79,672 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $91,000 | Between $61,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pasadena, TX | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Sargent & Lundy | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a junior process engineer and a quality engineer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Process Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between junior process engineers' and quality engineers' demographics:
| Junior Process Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5% | Male, 78.2% Female, 21.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.1% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 13.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |