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Principal process engineer vs quality control engineer

The differences between principal process engineers and quality control 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 quality control engineer. Additionally, a principal process engineer has an average salary of $126,348, which is higher than the $70,845 average annual salary of a quality control engineer.

The top three skills for a principal process engineer include process engineering, continuous improvement and engineering design. The most important skills for a quality control engineer are product quality, quality standards, and corrective action.

Principal process engineer vs quality control engineer overview

Principal Process EngineerQuality Control Engineer
Yearly salary$126,348$70,845
Hourly rate$60.74$34.06
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs82,358109,745
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does a principal process engineer do?

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.

What does a quality control engineer do?

A quality control engineer is responsible for conducting quality assessments for the company's products and services to ensure adherence to federal regulations and quality standards. Quality control engineers recommend strategic methods by analyzing processes and writing test results. They also identify opportunities for more services that meet public demands and market trends, helping the business generate more resources for revenues. A quality control engineer utilizes various software tools and applications to document findings, requiring them to have excellent communication and technical skills.

Principal process engineer vs quality control engineer salary

Principal process engineers and quality control engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Principal Process EngineerQuality Control Engineer
Average salary$126,348$70,845
Salary rangeBetween $93,000 And $171,000Between $53,000 And $94,000
Highest paying CityTucson, AZSan Rafael, CA
Highest paying stateArizonaWyoming
Best paying companyGoogleIntuitive Surgical
Best paying industryFinanceTechnology

Differences between principal process engineer and quality control engineer education

There are a few differences between a principal process engineer and a quality control engineer in terms of educational background:

Principal Process EngineerQuality Control Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common majorChemical EngineeringMechanical Engineering
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann ArborJohns Hopkins University

Principal process engineer vs quality control engineer demographics

Here are the differences between principal process engineers' and quality control engineers' demographics:

Principal Process EngineerQuality Control Engineer
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 84.4% Female, 15.6%Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage4%4%

Differences between principal process engineer and quality control engineer duties and responsibilities

Principal process engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage customer complaint resolution, root cause analysis, maintaining conformance for ISO certification.
  • Utilize SolidWorks 3D modeling in the development of new designs and components.
  • Generate detailed manufacturing process descriptions to meet FDA and global documentation requirements for medical device manufacturing.
  • Develop a method to get AutoCad isometric drawings relevant to relief valve transferred electronically to the relief valve sizing package.
  • Develop and refine device life models base on first-principles material degradation effects within ring laser gyro electronics.

Quality control engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage PPAP and quality process analysis for launch, cost reduction, quality improvement activities and efficiency improvement.
  • Develop and coordinate strategic relationships with international OEM and ODM partners to achieve business goals.
  • Acquire knowledge of vehicle wiring harness systems, fiber optics, CATIA, AutoCAD, PPAP, APQP.
  • Lead and participate in Kaizen events.
  • Implement and document CAPA to resolve failures during productions.
  • Execute statistical analysis of the QMS processes and its effectiveness.
  • Show more

Principal process engineer vs quality control engineer skills

Common principal process engineer skills
  • Process Engineering, 9%
  • Continuous Improvement, 7%
  • Engineering Design, 6%
  • RF, 5%
  • Process Control, 5%
  • Process Improvement, 5%
Common quality control engineer skills
  • Product Quality, 8%
  • Quality Standards, 6%
  • Corrective Action, 6%
  • ISO, 5%
  • Continuous Improvement, 5%
  • R, 5%

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