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The differences between manufacturing associate engineers and staff engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a manufacturing associate engineer, becoming a staff engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a staff engineer has an average salary of $107,530, which is higher than the $74,120 average annual salary of a manufacturing associate engineer.
The top three skills for a manufacturing associate engineer include process control, CAD and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Manufacturing Associate Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,120 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $35.63 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 59,464 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
An associate manufacturing engineer is in charge of creating methods and strategies to optimize the design and development of manufacturing procedures, typically working alongside manufacturing engineers. Among their responsibilities include performing research and analysis, establishing guidelines and specifications, monitoring the budgets and processes, conducting maintenance checks, and keeping an active communication line with team members for a smooth and efficient workflow. Furthermore, an associate manufacturing engineer must promote and enforce the company's safety policies and regulations.
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
Manufacturing associate engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Associate Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,120 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $90,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mahwah, NJ | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Masimo | Flexport |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing associate engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Associate Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between manufacturing associate engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Associate Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.7% Female, 16.3% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 12.2% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |