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The differences between process development associates and plastics engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a plastics engineer has an average salary of $80,304, which is higher than the $70,655 average annual salary of a process development associate.
The top three skills for a process development associate include GMP, data analysis and statistical analysis. The most important skills for a plastics engineer are sigma, project management, and extrusion.
| Process Development Associate | Plastics Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,655 | $80,304 |
| Hourly rate | $33.97 | $38.61 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 82,243 | 47,267 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A process development associate conceptualizes, creates, and develops processes used in various research facilities and laboratories. The main focus is to obtain information on various experiments and develop processes that take advantage of those discoveries. The process development associate is typically hired by a laboratory or any research lab geared toward research and discovering new concepts and ideas to further the study. The process development associate is vital in fine-tuning actual processes existing in a company and creating new ones.
Plastics engineers must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree, and they will receive training opportunities that involve workshops and seminars to keep job skills current. This career requires skills in Sigma, project management, CAD, product quality, and product design. Those who choose this career path engage in manufacturing, fabrication, and end use testing of existing materials and the development of new processes, materials, and equipment.
Process development associates and plastics engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Development Associate | Plastics Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,655 | $80,304 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $93,000 | Between $60,000 And $106,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | Union City, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oklahoma | New Mexico |
| Best paying company | Novo Nordisk | Pfizer |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a process development associate and a plastics engineer in terms of educational background:
| Process Development Associate | Plastics Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Biology | Plastics Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between process development associates' and plastics engineers' demographics:
| Process Development Associate | Plastics Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.9% Female, 42.1% | Male, 90.3% Female, 9.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 21.8% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 17.3% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |