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The differences between manufacturing development engineers and tool 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 development engineer, becoming a tool engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a tool engineer has an average salary of $101,135, 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 tool engineer are python, java, and CAD.
| Manufacturing Development Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $77,888 | $101,135 |
| Hourly rate | $37.45 | $48.62 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 105,577 | 98,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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 tooling engineer is responsible for creating and adjusting tools or parts for cars, heavy equipment, and other products that need customized or personalized components. Your duties and responsibilities will include creating design blueprints, using computer-aided (CAD) software to develop two- and three-dimensional prints, and validating and evaluating products. As a tooling engineer, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with operational standards such as the ISO 9000. You also have to provide technical assistance to manufacturing personnel and quality assurance.
Manufacturing development engineers and tool engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Development Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average salary | $77,888 | $101,135 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $105,000 | Between $75,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Lumileds | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing development engineer and a tool engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Development Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing development engineers' and tool engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Development Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.0% Female, 16.0% | Male, 95.3% Female, 4.7% |
| 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, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |