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Job outlook for process engineering technicians in the United States
Are process engineering technician jobs in demand?
Process engineering technician job and salary trends over time
Process engineering technician jobs over time
Process engineering technician job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,914 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,944 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,071 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,053 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,006 | 0.00% |
Average process engineering technician salary over time
Process engineering technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $84,612 | $40.68 | +1.4% |
| 2024 | $83,476 | $40.13 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | $81,867 | $39.36 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $80,125 | $38.52 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $78,723 | $37.85 | --0.8% |
Process engineering technician jobs by state
Most common states for process engineering technicians
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 303 | 44% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 302 | 31% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,091 | 30% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 191 | 26% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,861 | 22% |
| 6 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,201 | 21% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,192 | 21% |
| 8 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 654 | 21% |
| 9 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 705 | 20% |
| 10 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 205 | 20% |
| 11 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 329 | 19% |
| 12 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 515 | 18% |
| 13 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,133 | 17% |
| 14 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,060 | 16% |
| 15 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,661 | 16% |
| 16 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 972 | 16% |
| 17 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,063 | 15% |
| 18 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 739 | 15% |
| 19 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 427 | 14% |
| 20 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,568 | 13% |
Most common cities for process engineering technicians
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 1 | 3% | $92,613 |
| 2 | Dover | 1 | 3% | $79,290 |
| 3 | Santa Clara | 3 | 2% | $100,338 |
| 4 | Macon | 2 | 2% | $95,262 |
| 5 | Cupertino | 1 | 2% | $100,357 |
| 6 | Tallahassee | 2 | 1% | $75,383 |
| 7 | Albany | 1 | 1% | $95,282 |
| 8 | Cape Coral | 1 | 1% | $74,801 |
| 9 | Carlsbad | 1 | 1% | $92,894 |
| 10 | Columbus | 1 | 1% | $95,077 |
| 11 | Atlanta | 2 | 0% | $95,020 |
| 12 | Phoenix | 2 | 0% | $84,452 |
| 13 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $79,656 |
| 14 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $91,410 |
| 15 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $87,194 |
| 16 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $69,527 |
Process Engineering Technician job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of process engineering technician experts
Michigan Technological University
Bowling Green State University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
North Dakota State University
University of Denver
University of Houston - Downtown
Wichita State University
What general advice would you give to a Process Engineering Technician?
John Irwin EdD: Engineering technology graduates are masters of technology, gaining a broad and deep understanding of the processes, systems, tools, and techniques necessary to construct, modify, operate, and maintain an engineering design. They act as technological integrators, bridging the gap between the skilled trades and engineering fundamentals. This is a great career path for those who enjoy engineering concepts but would rather spend time working with their hands solving specific technical issues than tackling broader, more complex design challenges.
Christopher Kluse
Associate Professor, Quality SystemsBowling Green State University
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
What general advice would you give to a Process Engineering Technician?
Christopher Kluse: Relative to Industrial Technology, the use of technology and emerging technology within your discipline. Understanding how to manage and analyze large amounts of data for problem-solving and decision making are important. Use of emerging technologies such as AI or virtual reality as tools to improve efficiency, reduce variation/waste, improve performance are expanding technologies. Staying on top of emerging technology is critical. Data analysis, data management, data presentation are skills that employers seek and often cite that recent hires are lacking these skills. The need for soft skills will always be important and has been an employer concern for many years, especially recent college graduates.
What will help Process Engineering Technicians increase their earning potential?
Christopher Kluse: Currently, what I have hear from most of the employers that I work with is - they want a team player who can function effectively in a team setting, an employee who possesses critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills and are willing to put in the time to get the job done. Reliability and work ethic are cherished
Jianyu Liang
Director of Materials and Manufacturing Engineering Program, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, WPIWorcester Polytechnic Institute
Materials Engineering
What will help Process Engineering Technicians increase their earning potential?
Jianyu Liang: Get Your Hands Dirty: There's no substitute for hands-on experience. The lessons learned through direct involvement are invaluable, offering insights and skills that theoretical knowledge alone cannot provide. Embrace every opportunity to participate in projects, volunteer for tasks, and experiment within your role. This proactive approach not only accelerates your learning but also showcases your work ethic and dedication to potential mentors and leaders.
Be Mindful and Intentional in Your Job: While immersing yourself in your work, adopt a reflective practice. Actively seek feedback and analyze your experiences. This intentional approach to learning from every task helps to grow your skills rapidly.
Be Open-Minded and Adaptable: The landscape of nearly every industry is rapidly evolving, particularly with the integration of automation and artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies are not just changing the way we work; they are reshaping the skills and roles in demand. Stay open to new ideas, technologies, and methodologies. Continuous learning and adaptability are key to remaining relevant and thriving in a tech-driven workplace. Attend workshops, webinars, and courses on emerging technologies and trends in your field to keep your skills sharp and your perspective fresh.
Cultivate a Professional Network: Building relationships within your industry is crucial. Networking isn't just about finding job opportunities; it's about learning from peers, gaining insights into industry trends, and establishing a support system. Attend industry conferences, join professional organizations, and engage in communities related to your field. These connections can provide guidance, mentorship, and support as you navigate your career path.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Process Engineering Technician job market given the pandemic?
William Cross Ph.D.: The biggest job market trends given the pandemic are working from home, and slightly delayed hiring - in Metallurgical Engineering at SD Mines, it took about 9-12 months for our Spring 2020 graduates to be hired to levels that took less than three months pre-pandemic, although eventually most of our graduates have been placed. The Fall 2020 graduates have seen a similar delay.
I expect some of the work from home will remain into the future, but do not expect the delayed hiring to extend for too much longer. I also expect that in some fields the pandemic has accelerated trends towards greater automation of job functions.
What soft skills should all Process Engineering Technicians possess?
William Cross Ph.D.: The soft skills that all graduates should possess are primarily in communication - speaking/writing clearly, and listening/reading comprehension - and in teamwork skills. Being able to function in a variety of roles on a team is very important to success in many jobs.
How have salaries changed over time for Process Engineering Technicians?
William Cross Ph.D.: This of course depends on the time range to which the question refers. Over the last 4-5 years salaries have been rather flat on average going by SD Mines graduates in Metallurgical Engineering, although this is working off a rather high baseline. SD Mines has been recognized as the top engineering schools in the nation for return on investment, and Metallugical Engineering has an above average starting salary for SD Mines at around $65,000/year.
Andriy Voronov
ProfessorNorth Dakota State University
Coatings and Polymeric Materials Department
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Process Engineering Technicians?
Andriy Voronov: I think most graduate programs in materials science offer opportunities for interdisciplinary research and educational activities. Their philosophy is to educate and prepare job prospects by providing advanced aspects of work, including extensive collaborations between departments, programs, institutions or with industrial partners. Offering specialized trainings in various areas, graduate programs aim to merge basic and applied research within the certain field. With this said, quit often graduate programs work also with leading industrial scientists who help to provide to the graduates new and practical directions to become competitive at the job market. Answering your question more specifically, graduate programs do target as complementary and comprehensive education as possible. It will be interesting to hear from graduates what courses they took have the biggest impact for them, as well as if they need any additional certifications/licenses and which specifically.
How have salaries changed over time for Process Engineering Technicians?
Andriy Voronov: Being materials scientist means being able to do lot of things starting from fundamental research on material properties and characterization up to developing entirely new formulations and modify them to make new products suitable for new applications. One should be prepared to work in research lab, but also in pilot plants, as well as in manufacturing facilities. As for the soft skills, those are critical thinking, problem solving, communication, written and oral, including ability to communicate science to scientists, but also nonscientific audience, also flexibility and adaptability in (always) willing to learn. Although not a soft skill, but rather technical one, do not forget about fundamental knowledge and understanding of materials specifics and properties one works with.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Process Engineering Technicians?
Andriy Voronov: Since pandemic is not over yet, there may be only a guess on how significant this impact can be. I think answering this question resonates with more general one, namely, "Will our life after COVID-19 be the same as before?" We all want to be positive about that but are just not certain. Moreover, I think in some professional aspects in most fields, changes are unavoidable. Working from home, attending virtual conferences, taking part in Zoom meetings, even virtual get together with colleagues will most probably remain to be a new post-pandemic working routine, by all advantages and disadvantages this may bring to most recent graduates. Speaking about materials science, I hope and do believe that there will be global and impactful factors other than coronavirus pandemic, such as novel materials trends, technological innovations etc., to take into account for graduates.
Dr. Matt Howard Gordon Ph.D.
Professor & Chair, Mechanical & Materials EngineeringUniversity of Denver
Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering
What will help Process Engineering Technicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Matt Howard Gordon Ph.D.: I stress outside the class experiences - internships, undergraduate research, and/or study abroad. I believe all help with earning potential. And maybe students should consider getting their PE.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Process Engineering Technicians?
Dr. Matt Howard Gordon Ph.D.: I think so. At least for a couple years.
What's a good job out of college for Process Engineering Technicians?
Dr. Matt Howard Gordon Ph.D.: I think any technical job is a good job for engineers. You build experience, ideally in an area of interest, making it easier to get your next job.
Dr. Maria Benavides Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Chemistry Program Coordinator, Assistant ChairUniversity of Houston - Downtown
College of Sciences and Technology
What skills stand out on Process Engineering Technician resumes?
Dr. Maria Benavides Ph.D.: Apart from a good foundation in the chemistry discipline, skills that will stand out on resumes include: experience in various analytical techniques, excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing, ability to work collaboratively (team player), and the ability to think critically to find solutions to problems (problem solving). Another valuable skill nowadays would be to be competent in the use of technology for communication purposes (Zoom, etc.).
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Process Engineering Technicians to find work opportunities?
Dr. Maria Benavides Ph.D.: Texas is a good place for Chemistry graduates, particularly the city of Houston, which houses the largest medical center in the world, and the largest petroleum industry hub in the world. Most of our graduates find employment in the oil industry but also in those companies that provide services to the petroleum industry, such as chemical supply, waste disposal, chemical safety, etc. Our graduates also find employment in the medical research field, in research labs such as the famous UT Anderson Cancer Center.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Process Engineering Technician job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Maria Benavides Ph.D.: Chemistry graduates can work in a broad spectrum of fields: education, government agencies, research laboratories, and industry (oil, chemical, healthcare, pharmaceutical), and these jobs should still be viable options to Chemistry majors, even during the pandemic. As a result of the pandemic, I anticipate a greater number of opportunities arising in the pharmaceutical industry and the drug discovery field.
Dr. Atul Rai Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorWichita State University
School of Accountancy, Barton School of Business
What experience really stands out on Process Engineering Technician resumes?
Dr. Atul Rai Ph.D.: Employers are looking for people who can integrate in multi-disciplinary environments to solve complex problems. They are looking for resumes that show quick learning. Such resumes will permanently be in great demand. Because the world is interconnected much more than it ever was, employees today will deal with customers, supply-chains, and fellow employees who are spread all over the world. It means that an experience that showcases the global perspective will be in demand over the long-term.