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The differences between process engineers and project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a project manager has an average salary of $91,578, which is higher than the $82,443 average annual salary of a process engineer.
The top three skills for a process engineer include continuous improvement, sigma and lean manufacturing. The most important skills for a project manager are project management, project scope, and customer service.
| Process Engineer | Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $82,443 | $91,578 |
| Hourly rate | $39.64 | $44.03 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 66,937 | 167,116 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 4.17 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 42 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A Process Engineer is responsible for coming up with innovative ways to process particular raw materials into different kinds of products. They can also modify various existing machines or maintain their quality by monitoring its functions and conducting tests and examinations. A Process Engineer must do numerous analyses and research to gather data that would help determine possible improvements or decisions to uphold. Furthermore, A Process Engineer also has the task of procuring and installing new equipment, collecting and interpreting data, assessing risks, and ensuring that tasks are done safely.
Project managers oversee a specific project related to the organization's business. They manage the whole project from inception to evaluation. They initiate planning with involved departments, follow-through on the plans, ensure smooth execution of the plans, and evaluate the project for further improvements should these be needed. In line with this, project managers also ensure that the project is cost-efficient and well within the budget. They also manage the different work teams involved in the project and ensure that things are running smoothly on this aspect as well.
Process engineers and project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Engineer | Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $82,443 | $91,578 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $108,000 | Between $64,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rio Rancho, NM | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a process engineer and a project manager in terms of educational background:
| Process Engineer | Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between process engineers' and project managers' demographics:
| Process Engineer | Project Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% | Male, 68.9% Female, 31.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 15.6% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 10% |