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The differences between product engineers and research and development 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 engineer and a research and development engineer. Additionally, a research and development engineer has an average salary of $100,169, which is higher than the $89,645 average annual salary of a product engineer.
The top three skills for a product engineer include CAD, product design and project management. The most important skills for a research and development engineer are python, R, and solidworks.
| Product Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,645 | $100,169 |
| Hourly rate | $43.10 | $48.16 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 157,888 | 187,910 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
Research and development engineers generally execute research and tests on product ideas, develop new products, and perform redesigns. They are employed in many industries, including manufacturing, electrical, and science-based companies. Their duties vary and depend on the industries they work in. Responsibilities of these engineers include developing new technologies, designing products, and managing the projects until they are completed. Additionally, they lead the project team members to manage their schedules, design the project plans, and collaborate with key departments in developing new products.
Product engineers and research and development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,645 | $100,169 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $118,000 | Between $74,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a product engineer and a research and development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Product Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between product engineers' and research and development engineers' demographics:
| Product Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% | Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |