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The differences between material engineers and production engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a production engineer has an average salary of $89,727, which is higher than the $86,258 average annual salary of a material engineer.
The top three skills for a material engineer include DOD, failure analysis and data analysis. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Material Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $86,258 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $41.47 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 89,717 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
Materials engineers are responsible for developing, processing, and testing materials used to create a wide variety of products. These professionals study and evaluate the properties and structure of different materials, including plastics, metal, ceramics, and composites, to create new products. They also perform other tasks that include providing technical advice on suitable materials, diagnosing faults, and providing advice on planning and conducting inspections, repairs, and maintenance. Additionally, they may also oversee the work of other scientists like technicians and evaluate the technical and economic factors surrounding the design aspects of products.
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.
Material engineers and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Material Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $86,258 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $113,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a material engineer and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Material Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Materials Science And Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between material engineers' and production engineers' demographics:
| Material Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.5% Female, 21.5% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.1% Unknown, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 19.6% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 10% | 4% |