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The differences between plastics engineers and production engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a production engineer has an average salary of $89,727, 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 production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Plastics Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $80,304 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $38.61 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 47,267 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| 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 production engineer is responsible for monitoring the production operations, ensuring everyone's adherence to safety protocols, and evaluating the staff's performance, strategizing on maximizing productivity to deliver efficient results that would drive revenues and increase profitability. Production engineers inspect the reliability of production equipment and machinery, conducting preventive maintenance, and repair inconsistencies to prevent production delays. They also identify areas of improvement with the manufacturing processes and escalate best practices for improvement. A production engineer must be knowledgeable about technological advancements and incorporate ideas to minimize costs without sacrificing the quality of services.
Plastics engineers and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plastics Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $80,304 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $106,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Union City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | California |
| Best paying company | Pfizer | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a plastics engineer and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Plastics Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Plastics Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between plastics engineers' and production engineers' demographics:
| Plastics Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.3% Female, 9.7% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| 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, 10.5% Asian, 15.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 4% |