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The differences between materials research engineers and quality engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a materials research engineer has an average salary of $87,100, which is higher than the $79,672 average annual salary of a quality engineer.
The top three skills for a materials research engineer include materials research, research projects and characterization techniques. The most important skills for a quality engineer are corrective action, continuous improvement, and ISO.
| Materials Research Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,100 | $79,672 |
| Hourly rate | $41.88 | $38.30 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 82,912 | 96,838 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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 quality engineer's responsibilities include ensuring that the manufacturing processes are efficient and accurate, documenting findings that would raise concerns, conducting quality tests while observing parameters, and implementing changes as necessary to meet the highest quality standards. Quality engineers need to have excellent problem-solving and observation skills to detect any irregularities and possible malfunctions. They also must be able to communicate effectively with the clients for feedbacks and corrective adjustments, address complaints, and immediately resolve any inconsistencies made.
Materials research engineers and quality engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Research Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Average salary | $87,100 | $79,672 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $111,000 | Between $61,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beaverton, OR | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Nike | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a materials research engineer and a quality engineer in terms of educational background:
| Materials Research Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Materials Science And Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between materials research engineers' and quality engineers' demographics:
| Materials Research Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 78.2% Female, 21.8% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 13.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 4% |