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The differences between materials research engineers and packaging engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a packaging engineer has an average salary of $88,452, which is higher than the $87,100 average annual salary of a materials research engineer.
The top three skills for a materials research engineer include materials research, research projects and characterization techniques. The most important skills for a packaging engineer are CAD, project management, and solidworks.
| Materials Research Engineer | Packaging Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,100 | $88,452 |
| Hourly rate | $41.88 | $42.52 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 82,912 | 54,028 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A materials research engineer researches, processes, and develops test materials used to create a wide range of products. They must be good in analytical, mechanical, and math skills. They are likely to perform in their role such as formulating their own project concepts, executing technology projects about the development of novel polymer fiber-reinforced composites, and identifying unknown material compositions. Also, they implement powder processing equipment and manufacture tools to improve their efficiency and quality.
A Packaging Engineer plans and implements packaging designs to ensure product integrity and appeal. Their primary duties include supervising and managing the complete packaging development process, analyzing engineering drawings, and conducting periodic vendor reviews.
Materials research engineers and packaging engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Research Engineer | Packaging Engineer | |
| Average salary | $87,100 | $88,452 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $111,000 | Between $65,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beaverton, OR | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Nike | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a materials research engineer and a packaging engineer in terms of educational background:
| Materials Research Engineer | Packaging Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Materials Science And Engineering | Engineering And Industrial Management |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between materials research engineers' and packaging engineers' demographics:
| Materials Research Engineer | Packaging Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 77.1% Female, 22.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.1% Unknown, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 19.6% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 13.1% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 4% |