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The differences between product quality engineers and engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a product quality engineer, becoming an engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a product quality engineer has an average salary of $94,173, which is higher than the $92,077 average annual salary of an engineer.
The top three skills for a product quality engineer include product quality, continuous improvement and sigma. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Product Quality Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,173 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $45.28 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 152,621 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A product quality engineer is responsible for conducting quality check procedures for outputs and manufacturing processes to ensure high-quality deliverables according to business requirements and client specifications. Product quality engineers implement quality assessment criteria with strict adherence to internal guidelines and regulatory policies. They inspect the tools and equipment used for the production and solve inconsistencies, recommending and writing process reports to prevent fault reoccurrence that may affect product standards and market quality and cause distribution delays.
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Product quality engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Quality Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $94,173 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $124,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Meta | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a product quality engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Product Quality Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between product quality engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Product Quality Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.8% Female, 18.2% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 15.1% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |