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The differences between principal process engineers and quality 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 engineer. Additionally, a principal process engineer has an average salary of $126,348, which is higher than the $79,672 average annual salary of a quality 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 engineer are corrective action, continuous improvement, and ISO.
| Principal Process Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $126,348 | $79,672 |
| Hourly rate | $60.74 | $38.30 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 82,358 | 96,838 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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 quality engineer's responsibilities include ensuring that the manufacturing processes are efficient and accurate, documenting findings that would raise concerns, conducting quality tests while observing parameters, and implementing changes as necessary to meet the highest quality standards. Quality engineers need to have excellent problem-solving and observation skills to detect any irregularities and possible malfunctions. They also must be able to communicate effectively with the clients for feedbacks and corrective adjustments, address complaints, and immediately resolve any inconsistencies made.
Principal process engineers and quality engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Process Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Average salary | $126,348 | $79,672 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $171,000 | Between $61,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tucson, AZ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a principal process engineer and a quality engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Process Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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 quality engineers' demographics:
| Principal Process Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% | Male, 78.2% Female, 21.8% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 13.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |