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The differences between principal process engineers and principal project engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a principal process engineer and a principal project engineer. Additionally, a principal process engineer has an average salary of $126,348, which is higher than the $122,090 average annual salary of a principal project engineer.
The top three skills for a principal process engineer include process engineering, continuous improvement and engineering design. The most important skills for a principal project engineer are project management, program management, and DOD.
| Principal Process Engineer | Principal Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $126,348 | $122,090 |
| Hourly rate | $60.74 | $58.70 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 82,358 | 95,718 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 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 principal project engineer spearheads and oversees engineering projects, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. It is their duty to set guidelines and objectives, provide technical and engineering support to various teams, gather and analyze data, identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing procedures, implement solutions against problem areas, and conducting inspections to ensure that all processes adhere to the company's quality standards and safety regulations, including the state and industry laws. Moreover, as a principal project engineer, it is essential to monitor the progress of all operations, training junior engineers when necessary.
Principal process engineers and principal project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Process Engineer | Principal Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $126,348 | $122,090 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $171,000 | Between $74,000 And $200,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tucson, AZ | Houston, TX |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | Texas |
| Best paying company | Alphanumeric | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a principal process engineer and a principal project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Process Engineer | Principal Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between principal process engineers' and principal project engineers' demographics:
| Principal Process Engineer | Principal Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% | Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3% |
| 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, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |