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The differences between product applications engineers and project engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a product applications engineer and a project engineer. Additionally, a product applications engineer has an average salary of $101,877, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for a product applications engineer include technical support, product line and RF. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Product Applications Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $101,877 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $48.98 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 101,218 | 176,689 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A product applications engineer's job is to determine business needs and develop solutions with product managers and address customer queries and issues promptly. They typically address customer questions and issues in a timely manner. They communicate feedback from customers to the design team and provide post-sales support to make suitable modifications in product design. Moreover, it is part of their responsibility to evaluate new software products, check defects, conduct internal application trials for verification, and maintain accurate documentation of problems related to applications, including solutions.
A Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation. The Project Engineer will also recommend material, equipment, and the type of personnel needed. This position is integral in the smooth flow of any project, so hiring someone to hold this position will decide the success of a project.
Product applications engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Applications Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $101,877 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $138,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a product applications engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Product Applications Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between product applications engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Product Applications Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 6.6% Asian, 11.1% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 5% |