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The differences between process development engineers and 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 process development engineer, becoming an engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an engineer has an average salary of $92,077, which is higher than the $89,754 average annual salary of a process development engineer.
The top three skills for a process development engineer include data analysis, DOE and R. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Process Development Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,754 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $43.15 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 118,616 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A Process Development Engineer creates and implements process technology for product manufacturing to optimize workflow, improve operating capabilities, and help ensure workers' safety. They help enhance the speed and quality of processing from a variety of industries, such as mining or manufacturing.
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Process development engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Development Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,754 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $114,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Apple | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a process development engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Process Development Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between process development engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Process Development Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.3% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |