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The differences between process design engineers and production 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 process design engineer and a production engineer. Additionally, a process design engineer has an average salary of $89,834, which is higher than the $89,727 average annual salary of a production engineer.
The top three skills for a process design engineer include project management, process engineering and CAD. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Process Design Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,834 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $43.19 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 93,788 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Process Design Engineer designs various products, including required calculation, component selection, and determining the methods of construction. They are responsible for the safety management of the projects.
A production engineer is responsible for monitoring the production operations, ensuring everyone's adherence to safety protocols, and evaluating the staff's performance, strategizing on maximizing productivity to deliver efficient results that would drive revenues and increase profitability. Production engineers inspect the reliability of production equipment and machinery, conducting preventive maintenance, and repair inconsistencies to prevent production delays. They also identify areas of improvement with the manufacturing processes and escalate best practices for improvement. A production engineer must be knowledgeable about technological advancements and incorporate ideas to minimize costs without sacrificing the quality of services.
Process design engineers and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Design Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,834 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $116,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a process design engineer and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Process Design Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between process design engineers' and production engineers' demographics:
| Process Design Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.8% Female, 19.2% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 15.2% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |