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The differences between production engineers and tool 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 production engineer, becoming a tool engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a tool engineer has an average salary of $101,135, which is higher than the $89,727 average annual salary of a production engineer.
The top three skills for a production engineer include java, continuous improvement and lean manufacturing. The most important skills for a tool engineer are python, java, and CAD.
| Production Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,727 | $101,135 |
| Hourly rate | $43.14 | $48.62 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 94,789 | 98,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A production engineer is responsible for monitoring the production operations, ensuring everyone's adherence to safety protocols, and evaluating the staff's performance, strategizing on maximizing productivity to deliver efficient results that would drive revenues and increase profitability. Production engineers inspect the reliability of production equipment and machinery, conducting preventive maintenance, and repair inconsistencies to prevent production delays. They also identify areas of improvement with the manufacturing processes and escalate best practices for improvement. A production engineer must be knowledgeable about technological advancements and incorporate ideas to minimize costs without sacrificing the quality of services.
A tooling engineer is responsible for creating and adjusting tools or parts for cars, heavy equipment, and other products that need customized or personalized components. Your duties and responsibilities will include creating design blueprints, using computer-aided (CAD) software to develop two- and three-dimensional prints, and validating and evaluating products. As a tooling engineer, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with operational standards such as the ISO 9000. You also have to provide technical assistance to manufacturing personnel and quality assurance.
Production engineers and tool engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,727 | $101,135 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $125,000 | Between $75,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a production engineer and a tool engineer in terms of educational background:
| Production Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between production engineers' and tool engineers' demographics:
| Production Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% | Male, 95.3% Female, 4.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |