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The differences between plant engineers and maintenance engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a plant engineer, becoming a maintenance engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a plant engineer has an average salary of $93,949, which is higher than the $47,133 average annual salary of a maintenance engineer.
The top three skills for a plant engineer include HVAC, project management and plant operations. The most important skills for a maintenance engineer are plumbing, HVAC, and guest rooms.
| Plant Engineer | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $93,949 | $47,133 |
| Hourly rate | $45.17 | $22.66 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 44,391 | 97,957 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A Plant Engineer is responsible for directing the smooth operation of the plant. They plan and coordinate activities concerned with the design, construction, modification, and maintenance of equipment and machinery in an industrial plant.
A maintenance engineer is responsible for the maintenance of industrial machinery and inspects equipment defects for immediate troubleshooting or replacement as needed. Maintenance engineers install and upgrade system components to improve system optimization and perform diagnostic systems to locate any adjustments. They also conduct routine checks, assist clients with technical faults, and ensure that the equipment works safely for certain operations. A maintenance engineer must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry to address technical malfunctions immediately.
Plant engineers and maintenance engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plant Engineer | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Average salary | $93,949 | $47,133 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $130,000 | Between $29,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Bunge | Halliburton |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | - |
There are a few differences between a plant engineer and a maintenance engineer in terms of educational background:
| Plant Engineer | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | - |
Here are the differences between plant engineers' and maintenance engineers' demographics:
| Plant Engineer | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7% | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 9.2% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 4.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 2% |