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The differences between manufacturing engineers and tool engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a manufacturing 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 $78,522 average annual salary of a manufacturing engineer.
The top three skills for a manufacturing engineer include lean manufacturing, CAD and solidworks. The most important skills for a tool engineer are python, java, and CAD.
| Manufacturing Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $78,522 | $101,135 |
| Hourly rate | $37.75 | $48.62 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 115,384 | 98,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Manufacturing Engineers are responsible for handling and developing an efficient manufacturing system or procedure that will help a company produce up to standard products while in adherence to the policies, regulations, and expected cost and schedule. Furthermore, Manufacturing Engineers must also monitor quality control, identify or detect errors, provide and suggest improvements, oversee the procurement of materials involved in the production, and coordinate with various teams or departments within the company to ensure the effectiveness of innovations or new developments.
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 engineers and tool engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average salary | $78,522 | $101,135 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $102,000 | Between $75,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing engineer and a tool engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing engineers' and tool engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% | Male, 95.3% Female, 4.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 17.0% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 5% | 5% |