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The differences between manufacturing quality engineers and process improvement 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 improvement engineer. Additionally, a manufacturing quality engineer has an average salary of $89,693, which is higher than the $82,473 average annual salary of a process improvement engineer.
The top three skills for a manufacturing quality engineer include continuous improvement, corrective action and sigma. The most important skills for a process improvement engineer are lean six sigma, sigma, and project management.
| Manufacturing Quality Engineer | Process Improvement Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,693 | $82,473 |
| Hourly rate | $43.12 | $39.65 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 111,968 | 55,438 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| 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 improvement engineer specializes in conducting research and analysis to develop new strategies and ideas to improve the processes in a manufacturing plant or a similar setting. They prioritize efficiency and profitability. Most of the time, engineers participate in a series of meetings where they coordinate with fellow engineers to determine opportunities for product growth and development. Moreover, a process improvement engineer is also responsible for crafting new policies and regulations, upgrading systems, and developing new practices to ensure product quality and customer satisfaction.
Manufacturing quality engineers and process improvement engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Quality Engineer | Process Improvement Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,693 | $82,473 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $122,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pleasanton, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing quality engineer and a process improvement engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Quality Engineer | Process Improvement Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | New York University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing quality engineers' and process improvement engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Quality Engineer | Process Improvement Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8% | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 10.5% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |