Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between principal process engineers and senior engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a principal process engineer, becoming a senior engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal process engineer has an average salary of $126,348, which is higher than the $108,743 average annual salary of a senior engineer.
The top three skills for a principal process engineer include process engineering, continuous improvement and engineering design. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Principal Process Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $126,348 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $60.74 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 82,358 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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 senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Principal process engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Process Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $126,348 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $171,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tucson, AZ | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | California |
| Best paying company | Roku | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a principal process engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Process Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between principal process engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Principal Process Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |