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The differences between principal process engineers and project lead 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 project lead engineer. Additionally, a principal process engineer has an average salary of $126,348, which is higher than the $106,946 average annual salary of a project lead engineer.
The top three skills for a principal process engineer include process engineering, continuous improvement and engineering design. The most important skills for a project lead engineer are project management, renewable energy, and project execution.
| Principal Process Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $126,348 | $106,946 |
| Hourly rate | $60.74 | $51.42 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 82,358 | 98,018 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| 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.
Project lead engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for leading other professionals in completing a particular project. These engineers must develop a project management framework to be implemented throughout the organization based on the inputs from internal stakeholders and team members. They are required to train junior team members so that they can provide proper technical support functions. Project lead engineers must also prepare and review cost estimates for a variety of projects during bidding, construction, and post-construction phases.
Principal process engineers and project lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Process Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $126,348 | $106,946 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $171,000 | Between $78,000 And $146,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tucson, AZ | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a principal process engineer and a project lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Process Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| 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 project lead engineers' demographics:
| Principal Process Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% |
| 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, 10.4% Asian, 15.2% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |