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The differences between maintenance engineers and production 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 maintenance engineer and a production engineer. Additionally, a production engineer has an average salary of $89,727, which is higher than the $47,133 average annual salary of a maintenance engineer.
The top three skills for a maintenance engineer include plumbing, HVAC and guest rooms. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Maintenance Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $47,133 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $22.66 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 97,957 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A maintenance engineer is responsible for the maintenance of industrial machinery and inspects equipment defects for immediate troubleshooting or replacement as needed. Maintenance engineers install and upgrade system components to improve system optimization and perform diagnostic systems to locate any adjustments. They also conduct routine checks, assist clients with technical faults, and ensure that the equipment works safely for certain operations. A maintenance engineer must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry to address technical malfunctions immediately.
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.
Maintenance engineers and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Maintenance Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $47,133 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $74,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Halliburton | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a maintenance engineer and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Maintenance Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between maintenance engineers' and production engineers' demographics:
| Maintenance Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 4.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | 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 | 2% | 4% |