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The differences between product engineering managers and product development engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a product engineering manager, becoming a product development engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a product engineering manager has an average salary of $125,592, which is higher than the $86,075 average annual salary of a product development engineer.
The top three skills for a product engineering manager include project management, product management and product engineering. The most important skills for a product development engineer are CAD, solidworks, and product development.
| Product Engineering Manager | Product Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $125,592 | $86,075 |
| Hourly rate | $60.38 | $41.38 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 148,619 | 202,155 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
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.
A Product Development Engineer is responsible for creating and testing new product designs. They collaborate with market researchers to evaluate market needs, existing competition, and potential costs.
Product engineering managers and product development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Engineering Manager | Product Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $125,592 | $86,075 |
| Salary range | Between $90,000 And $174,000 | Between $64,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Sunnyvale, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a product engineering manager and a product development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Product Engineering Manager | Product Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between product engineering managers' and product development engineers' demographics:
| Product Engineering Manager | Product Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 5% |