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The differences between manufacturing development engineers and process 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 manufacturing development engineer and a process engineer. Additionally, a process engineer has an average salary of $82,443, which is higher than the $77,888 average annual salary of a manufacturing development engineer.
The top three skills for a manufacturing development engineer include R, medical devices and sigma. The most important skills for a process engineer are continuous improvement, sigma, and lean manufacturing.
| Manufacturing Development Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $77,888 | $82,443 |
| Hourly rate | $37.45 | $39.64 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 105,577 | 66,937 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A manufacturing development engineer works to improve the process of making products. The responsibilities of this position are repairing equipment used in manufacturing, purchasing and installing manufacturing equipment, designing new procedures and systems, diagnosing problems with machinery, supervising other engineering and technical staff, and managing the budget for the development engineering staff. They are also responsible for designing, creating, and testing new products. This position requires a mechanical engineering or bioengineering degree.
A Process Engineer is responsible for coming up with innovative ways to process particular raw materials into different kinds of products. They can also modify various existing machines or maintain their quality by monitoring its functions and conducting tests and examinations. A Process Engineer must do numerous analyses and research to gather data that would help determine possible improvements or decisions to uphold. Furthermore, A Process Engineer also has the task of procuring and installing new equipment, collecting and interpreting data, assessing risks, and ensuring that tasks are done safely.
Manufacturing development engineers and process engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Development Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average salary | $77,888 | $82,443 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $105,000 | Between $62,000 And $108,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | Rio Rancho, NM |
| Highest paying state | California | New Mexico |
| Best paying company | Lumileds | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing development engineer and a process engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Development Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Chemical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing development engineers' and process engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Development Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.0% Female, 16.0% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 12.9% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 15.6% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |