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The differences between principal manufacturing engineers and process 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 process engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a principal manufacturing engineer has an average salary of $94,463, which is higher than the $82,443 average annual salary of a process engineer.
The top three skills for a principal manufacturing engineer include CAD, continuous improvement and process control. The most important skills for a process engineer are continuous improvement, sigma, and lean manufacturing.
| Principal Manufacturing Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,463 | $82,443 |
| Hourly rate | $45.41 | $39.64 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 91,957 | 66,937 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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 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.
Principal manufacturing engineers and process engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Manufacturing Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average salary | $94,463 | $82,443 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $122,000 | Between $62,000 And $108,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Rio Rancho, NM |
| Highest paying state | California | New Mexico |
| Best paying company | ZS | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a principal manufacturing engineer and a process engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Manufacturing Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Chemical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between principal manufacturing engineers' and process engineers' demographics:
| Principal Manufacturing Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| 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, 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 | 5% | 4% |