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The differences between process engineers lead and process improvement 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 engineer lead and a process improvement engineer. Additionally, a process engineer lead has an average salary of $110,175, which is higher than the $82,473 average annual salary of a process improvement engineer.
The top three skills for a process engineer lead include lean six sigma, continuous improvement and sigma. The most important skills for a process improvement engineer are lean six sigma, sigma, and project management.
| Process Engineer Lead | Process Improvement Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $110,175 | $82,473 |
| Hourly rate | $52.97 | $39.65 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 48,485 | 55,438 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Process Engineer Lead is responsible for developing, maintaining, and operating materials and chemicals in the manufacturing process. They ensure continuous improvement in process, cost, quality, and production.
A process improvement engineer specializes in conducting research and analysis to develop new strategies and ideas to improve the processes in a manufacturing plant or a similar setting. They prioritize efficiency and profitability. Most of the time, engineers participate in a series of meetings where they coordinate with fellow engineers to determine opportunities for product growth and development. Moreover, a process improvement engineer is also responsible for crafting new policies and regulations, upgrading systems, and developing new practices to ensure product quality and customer satisfaction.
Process engineers lead and process improvement engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Engineer Lead | Process Improvement Engineer | |
| Average salary | $110,175 | $82,473 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $143,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | First Republic Bank | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a process engineer lead and a process improvement engineer in terms of educational background:
| Process Engineer Lead | Process Improvement Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | New York University |
Here are the differences between process engineers lead' and process improvement engineers' demographics:
| Process Engineer Lead | Process Improvement Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.5% Female, 14.5% | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 14.7% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 10.5% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |