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The differences between principal process engineers and senior process 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 senior process engineer. Additionally, a principal process engineer has an average salary of $126,348, which is higher than the $105,378 average annual salary of a senior process 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 process engineer are continuous improvement, project management, and data analysis.
| Principal Process Engineer | Senior Process Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $126,348 | $105,378 |
| Hourly rate | $60.74 | $50.66 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 82,358 | 56,510 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| 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 Senior Process Engineer assesses a process efficiency, effectiveness, safety, and quality. They also conduct process improvement initiatives and custom product developments.
Principal process engineers and senior process engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Process Engineer | Senior Process Engineer | |
| Average salary | $126,348 | $105,378 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $171,000 | Between $82,000 And $134,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tucson, AZ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | Louisiana |
| Best paying company | Apple | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Energy |
There are a few differences between a principal process engineer and a senior process engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Process Engineer | Senior Process Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Chemical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between principal process engineers' and senior process engineers' demographics:
| Principal Process Engineer | Senior Process Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% |
| 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, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 15.3% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |