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The differences between principal process engineers and chemical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a principal process engineer has an average salary of $126,348, which is higher than the $89,449 average annual salary of a chemical engineer.
The top three skills for a principal process engineer include process engineering, continuous improvement and engineering design. The most important skills for a chemical engineer are chemistry, technical support, and co-op.
| Principal Process Engineer | Chemical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $126,348 | $89,449 |
| Hourly rate | $60.74 | $43.00 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 82,358 | 42,176 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A Principal Process Engineer is responsible for analyzing process technologies and proposal support for the engineering activities of the organization. They may work in various industries, such as chemical, petrochemical, agriculture, software development, and biotechnological.
A chemical engineer provides support for chemical operations and testing new processes. The processes they successfully come up with are used to make different products from gas, oil, food, and drink. It is their job to assist in designing new chemical processes and make improvements. They implement fresh ideas to improve standard quality and efficiency. They must be good planners and schedulers of project activities to help chemical technicians to achieve their project objectives and provide technical support to maintain safe, stable, and reliable operations.
Principal process engineers and chemical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Process Engineer | Chemical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $126,348 | $89,449 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $171,000 | Between $67,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tucson, AZ | Sugar Land, TX |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | Texas |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Energy |
There are a few differences between a principal process engineer and a chemical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Process Engineer | Chemical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Chemical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between principal process engineers' and chemical engineers' demographics:
| Principal Process Engineer | Chemical Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 15.7% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 21.3% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 9% |