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The differences between principal manufacturing engineers and principal engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a principal manufacturing engineer, becoming a principal engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $94,463 average annual salary of a principal manufacturing engineer.
The top three skills for a principal manufacturing engineer include CAD, continuous improvement and process control. The most important skills for a principal engineer are java, architecture, and python.
| Principal Manufacturing Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,463 | $130,213 |
| Hourly rate | $45.41 | $62.60 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 91,957 | 312,683 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Principle Manufacturing Engineers are responsible for leading an organization's operations involved in reducing cost, increasing production capacity, and implementing new efficient processes. Their duties include developing production capacity cost and quality targets and implementing workforce utilization, workspace efficiency, workflow, and equipment layout. They also manage project milestones by working closely with internal groups and suppliers. Principle Manufacturing Engineers review production data gathered, supervise production process improvements, and assist in the accurate manufacturing documentation.
A principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Principal manufacturing engineers and principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Manufacturing Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average salary | $94,463 | $130,213 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $122,000 | Between $95,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | ZS | Grubhub |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a principal manufacturing engineer and a principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Manufacturing Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between principal manufacturing engineers' and principal engineers' demographics:
| Principal Manufacturing Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 17.2% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |