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The differences between materials process engineers and product development engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a materials process engineer has an average salary of $90,788, which is higher than the $86,075 average annual salary of a product development engineer.
The top three skills for a materials process engineer include failure analysis, material properties and process specifications. The most important skills for a product development engineer are CAD, solidworks, and product development.
| Materials Process Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $90,788 | $86,075 |
| Hourly rate | $43.65 | $41.38 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 79,795 | 202,155 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
Materials Process Engineers are licensed engineers who develop different materials, usually for research or production purposes. They may create new materials derived from existing compounds and materials. Materials Process Engineers must document the processes involved in creating these new materials. They would then study the different elements and specifications of this new material. This would help industries that may need a similar material gauge, whether applicable in their area. Material Process Engineers also work on finding new ways to use existing materials. This would help increase the value of the material since there are more and practical uses for it.
A Product Development Engineer is responsible for creating and testing new product designs. They collaborate with market researchers to evaluate market needs, existing competition, and potential costs.
Materials process engineers and product development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Process Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $90,788 | $86,075 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $118,000 | Between $64,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | Everett, WA | Sunnyvale, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a materials process engineer and a product development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Materials Process Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between materials process engineers' and product development engineers' demographics:
| Materials Process Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.3% Female, 21.7% | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 18.3% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 5% |