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The differences between principal quality engineers and principal 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 quality engineer, becoming a principal engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $103,677 average annual salary of a principal quality engineer.
The top three skills for a principal quality engineer include sigma, corrective action and ISO. The most important skills for a principal engineer are java, architecture, and python.
| Principal Quality Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $103,677 | $130,213 |
| Hourly rate | $49.84 | $62.60 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 120,965 | 312,683 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Principal quality engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for providing quality engineering support and technical guidance to help the quality activities of a project. They are required to supervise the quality management system to monitor the progress of projects and ensure their timely deliveries. They must provide quality assurance (QA) solutions while evaluating the efficiency of their existing QA processes. Principal quality engineers must also identify technical risks and challenges by suggesting corrective actions and QA process improvements.
A principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Principal quality engineers and principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Quality Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average salary | $103,677 | $130,213 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $133,000 | Between $95,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Palo Alto Networks | Grubhub |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a principal quality engineer and a principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Quality Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | New York University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between principal quality engineers' and principal engineers' demographics:
| Principal Quality Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.4% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |