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The differences between manufacturing engineering technicians 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 manufacturing engineering technician and a production engineer. Additionally, a production engineer has an average salary of $89,727, which is higher than the $53,219 average annual salary of a manufacturing engineering technician.
The top three skills for a manufacturing engineering technician include continuous improvement, troubleshoot and production equipment. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Manufacturing Engineering Technician | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $53,219 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $25.59 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 99,347 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A manufacturing engineering technician is responsible for supporting the manufacturing processes of industrial operations by providing technical assistance on the design development procedures. Manufacturing engineering technicians inspect the efficiency and consistency of plans and perform multiple diagnostic tests to ensure that the product performs to its highest condition. They also recommend cost-reduction techniques while providing high-quality outputs and deliverables. A manufacturing engineering technician must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially on troubleshooting equipment and writing progress reports for reference.
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.
Manufacturing engineering technicians and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Engineering Technician | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $53,219 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $75,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Idaho | California |
| Best paying company | Lam Research | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing engineering technician and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Engineering Technician | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing engineering technicians' and production engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Engineering Technician | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 8.3% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 | 6% | 4% |