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The differences between process development 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 development and a production engineer. Additionally, a production engineer has an average salary of $89,727, which is higher than the $87,776 average annual salary of a process development.
The top three skills for a process development include java, business process and architecture. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Process Development | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,776 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $42.20 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 67,914 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A process development professional is responsible for performing extensive research and analysis to design and develop strategies that will optimize the daily procedures in a company. Among their responsibilities include gathering and analyzing data to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current operations, studying the needs of various programs and projects, and developing solutions against problem areas. They may also provide technical guidance and support to staff, all while enforcing and promoting the company's policies and regulations.
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 development and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Development | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $87,776 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $115,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apollo Global Management | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a process development and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Process Development | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between process development' and production engineers' demographics:
| Process Development | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.0% Female, 34.0% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| 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, 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% |