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The differences between product engineers and quality control engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a product engineer, becoming a quality control engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a product engineer has an average salary of $89,645, which is higher than the $70,845 average annual salary of a quality control engineer.
The top three skills for a product engineer include CAD, product design and project management. The most important skills for a quality control engineer are product quality, quality standards, and corrective action.
| Product Engineer | Quality Control Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,645 | $70,845 |
| Hourly rate | $43.10 | $34.06 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 157,888 | 109,745 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A product engineer specializes in designing and developing commercial materials and services. They are primarily responsible for conducting thorough research and analysis of the latest trends and marketing conditions to come up with new ideas and products for the public. Moreover, they are also responsible for producing reports and presentations, coordinating with the development team of their company. Product engineers also reach out to vendors and suppliers for the raw materials, set regulations and standards for the product, and even conduct a rigorous and regular quality check.
A quality control engineer is responsible for conducting quality assessments for the company's products and services to ensure adherence to federal regulations and quality standards. Quality control engineers recommend strategic methods by analyzing processes and writing test results. They also identify opportunities for more services that meet public demands and market trends, helping the business generate more resources for revenues. A quality control engineer utilizes various software tools and applications to document findings, requiring them to have excellent communication and technical skills.
Product engineers and quality control engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Engineer | Quality Control Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,645 | $70,845 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $118,000 | Between $53,000 And $94,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Rafael, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | Meta | Intuitive Surgical |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a product engineer and a quality control engineer in terms of educational background:
| Product Engineer | Quality Control Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Johns Hopkins University |
Here are the differences between product engineers' and quality control engineers' demographics:
| Product Engineer | Quality Control Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% | Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.0% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 4% |