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The differences between plant engineers and project 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 project engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a plant engineer has an average salary of $93,949, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for a plant engineer include HVAC, project management and plant operations. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Plant Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $93,949 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $45.17 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 44,391 | 176,689 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
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 Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation. The Project Engineer will also recommend material, equipment, and the type of personnel needed. This position is integral in the smooth flow of any project, so hiring someone to hold this position will decide the success of a project.
Plant engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plant Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $93,949 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $130,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Bunge | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a plant engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Plant Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between plant engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Plant Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| 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, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |