Process engineering manager vs product engineering manager

The differences between process engineering managers and product engineering managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes More than 10 years to become both a process engineering manager and a product engineering manager. Additionally, a product engineering manager has an average salary of $125,592, which is higher than the $124,640 average annual salary of a process engineering manager.

The top three skills for a process engineering manager include project management, sigma and lean manufacturing. The most important skills for a product engineering manager are project management, product management, and product engineering.

Process engineering manager vs product engineering manager overview

	Process Engineering Manager	Product Engineering Manager
Yearly salary	$124,640	$125,592
Hourly rate	$59.92	$60.38
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	87,396	148,619
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	-	-

What does a process engineering manager do?

A process engineering manager is responsible for evaluating the production and manufacturing processes and identify areas of improvement to enhance the quality of deliverables and maximize the staff's productivity. Process engineering managers develop cost-efficient techniques and resources that would meet the budget limitations and business requirements. They also handle the resolution for process failures and coordinate with the process engineers for immediate solutions to avoid its reoccurrence. A process engineering manager must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills, especially in determining opportunities that would enhance efficiency and result in more outputs.

What does a product engineering manager do?

A product engineering manager is primarily in charge of overseeing the development of products and procedures, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. In a manufacturing setting, their responsibilities include setting objectives, managing the budgets and schedules, coordinating engineers and specialists, implementing solutions in vulnerable areas, and developing strategies to optimize procedures. They must also monitor the progress of processes, resolving any issues promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a product engineering manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Process engineering manager vs product engineering manager salary

Process engineering managers and product engineering managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Process Engineering Manager	Product Engineering Manager
Average salary	$124,640	$125,592
Salary range	Between $94,000 And $165,000	Between $90,000 And $174,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Emergent BioSolutions	Airbnb
Best paying industry	Technology	Technology

Differences between process engineering manager and product engineering manager education

There are a few differences between a process engineering manager and a product engineering manager in terms of educational background:

	Process Engineering Manager	Product Engineering Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common major	Chemical Engineering	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Process engineering manager vs product engineering manager demographics

Here are the differences between process engineering managers' and product engineering managers' demographics:

	Process Engineering Manager	Product Engineering Manager
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 85.7% Female, 14.3%	Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 12.7% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 14.8% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between process engineering manager and product engineering manager duties and responsibilities

Process engineering manager example responsibilities.

Manage QA for research orient development efforts and for high visibility, production focuse development efforts tie to revenue generation.
Support FDA regulatory and ISO requirements with QA department through process engineering and support of CAPA program.
Pioneer SPC program including implementation of methodologies for corrective action.
Ensure water systems are OSHA compliant.
Implement plant wide remediation plan to comply with FDA requirements.
Design, contract fabrication and testing of OSHA compliant safety harness anchors.

Product engineering manager example responsibilities.

Design, build and manage the ParagusIT OpenStack base private cloud.
Lead global engineering team in pursuit of major European OEM's medium and heavy-duty axle business.
Manage and coordinate communication with SME teams during disasters.
Manage outsourced/contract vendors and suppliers including HVAC, elevators, electrical and mechanical systems.
Manage a group of engineers that design semi-custom commercial / industrial HVAC and refrigeration equipment.
Participate and lead multiple Kaizen events, including facility layout, productivity, system integration and setup reductions.

Process engineering manager vs product engineering manager skills

Common process engineering manager skills

Project Management, 9%
Sigma, 8%
Lean Manufacturing, 6%
Lean Six Sigma, 6%
R, 4%
Direct Reports, 3%

Common product engineering manager skills

Project Management, 7%
Product Management, 7%
Product Engineering, 7%
Product Line, 5%
Java, 5%
Continuous Improvement, 5%

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Process Engineering Manager
Process Engineering Manager vs Product Engineering Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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