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The differences between plastics engineers and project engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a plastics engineer has an average salary of $80,304, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for a plastics engineer include sigma, project management and extrusion. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Plastics Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $80,304 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $38.61 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 47,267 | 176,689 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
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 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.
Plastics engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plastics Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $80,304 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $106,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Union City, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | Washington |
| Best paying company | Pfizer | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a plastics engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Plastics Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Plastics Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between plastics engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Plastics Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.3% Female, 9.7% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| 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, 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 | 9% | 5% |