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The differences between plastics engineers and process engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a process engineer has an average salary of $82,443, which is higher than the $80,304 average annual salary of a plastics engineer.
The top three skills for a plastics engineer include sigma, project management and extrusion. The most important skills for a process engineer are continuous improvement, sigma, and lean manufacturing.
| Plastics Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $80,304 | $82,443 |
| Hourly rate | $38.61 | $39.64 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 47,267 | 66,937 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
Plastics engineers must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree, and they will receive training opportunities that involve workshops and seminars to keep job skills current. This career requires skills in Sigma, project management, CAD, product quality, and product design. Those who choose this career path engage in manufacturing, fabrication, and end use testing of existing materials and the development of new processes, materials, and equipment.
A Process Engineer is responsible for coming up with innovative ways to process particular raw materials into different kinds of products. They can also modify various existing machines or maintain their quality by monitoring its functions and conducting tests and examinations. A Process Engineer must do numerous analyses and research to gather data that would help determine possible improvements or decisions to uphold. Furthermore, A Process Engineer also has the task of procuring and installing new equipment, collecting and interpreting data, assessing risks, and ensuring that tasks are done safely.
Plastics engineers and process engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plastics Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average salary | $80,304 | $82,443 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $106,000 | Between $62,000 And $108,000 |
| Highest paying City | Union City, CA | Rio Rancho, NM |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | New Mexico |
| Best paying company | Pfizer | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a plastics engineer and a process engineer in terms of educational background:
| Plastics Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Plastics Engineering | Chemical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between plastics engineers' and process engineers' demographics:
| Plastics Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.3% Female, 9.7% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 17.3% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 15.6% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 4% |