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The differences between manufacturing test engineers 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 test engineer and a production engineer. Additionally, a manufacturing test engineer has an average salary of $98,285, which is higher than the $89,727 average annual salary of a production engineer.
The top three skills for a manufacturing test engineer include test equipment, labview and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Manufacturing Test Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $98,285 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $47.25 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 64,188 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A manufacturing test engineer specializes in designing and developing test structures to ensure the quality of products according to the company's policies and standards. Their responsibilities include coordinating with the design team to determine test parameters, producing test documentation, troubleshooting, and performing quality assurance procedures. A manufacturing test engineer must also assess the existing test procedures to identify its strengths and weaknesses, implementing solutions as needed. Furthermore, they may assist the quality assurance teams in conducting tests, all while enforcing the company's policies and regulations.
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 test engineers and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Test Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $98,285 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $134,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing test engineer and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Test Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing test engineers' and production engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Test Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 4% | 4% |