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The differences between manufacturing quality 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 quality engineer and a process engineer. Additionally, a manufacturing quality engineer has an average salary of $89,693, which is higher than the $82,443 average annual salary of a process engineer.
The top three skills for a manufacturing quality engineer include continuous improvement, corrective action and sigma. The most important skills for a process engineer are continuous improvement, sigma, and lean manufacturing.
| Manufacturing Quality Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,693 | $82,443 |
| Hourly rate | $43.12 | $39.64 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 111,968 | 66,937 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A manufacturing quality engineer is in charge of designing and developing quality control programs to meet the standard procedures and products of a company. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current programs and systems, identifying the needs of manufacturing plants and its workforce, and upgrading existing systems. One may also address issues and concerns, performing corrective measures as needed. Furthermore, as a manufacturing quality engineer, it is essential to conduct regular inspections to maintain a safe and efficient work environment for everyone.
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 quality engineers and process engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Quality Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,693 | $82,443 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $122,000 | Between $62,000 And $108,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pleasanton, CA | Rio Rancho, NM |
| Highest paying state | California | New Mexico |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing quality engineer and a process engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Quality Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Chemical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing quality engineers' and process engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Quality Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.1% 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% |