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The differences between principal project engineers and 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 project engineer and a process engineer. Additionally, a principal project engineer has an average salary of $122,090, which is higher than the $82,443 average annual salary of a process engineer.
The top three skills for a principal project engineer include project management, program management and DOD. The most important skills for a process engineer are continuous improvement, sigma, and lean manufacturing.
| Principal Project Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $122,090 | $82,443 |
| Hourly rate | $58.70 | $39.64 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 95,718 | 66,937 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A principal project engineer spearheads and oversees engineering projects, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. It is their duty to set guidelines and objectives, provide technical and engineering support to various teams, gather and analyze data, identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing procedures, implement solutions against problem areas, and conducting inspections to ensure that all processes adhere to the company's quality standards and safety regulations, including the state and industry laws. Moreover, as a principal project engineer, it is essential to monitor the progress of all operations, training junior engineers when necessary.
A Process Engineer is responsible for coming up with innovative ways to process particular raw materials into different kinds of products. They can also modify various existing machines or maintain their quality by monitoring its functions and conducting tests and examinations. A Process Engineer must do numerous analyses and research to gather data that would help determine possible improvements or decisions to uphold. Furthermore, A Process Engineer also has the task of procuring and installing new equipment, collecting and interpreting data, assessing risks, and ensuring that tasks are done safely.
Principal project engineers and process engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Project Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average salary | $122,090 | $82,443 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $200,000 | Between $62,000 And $108,000 |
| Highest paying City | Houston, TX | Rio Rancho, NM |
| Highest paying state | Texas | New Mexico |
| Best paying company | Alphanumeric | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a principal project engineer and a process engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Project Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Chemical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between principal project engineers' and process engineers' demographics:
| Principal Project Engineer | Process Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 15.6% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |