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The differences between production planners and production engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a production planner, becoming a production engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a production engineer has an average salary of $89,727, which is higher than the $60,390 average annual salary of a production planner.
The top three skills for a production planner include customer service, MRP and ERP. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Production Planner | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $60,390 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $29.03 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 68,717 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Production planners or schedulers are employees who take charge of the timeliness and accuracy of the production process. The planners develop production schedules which detail the tasks that need to be done to meet the set completion date. They emphasize the goods and materials necessary in the production phase. It is their job to make sure that the working space is well-maintained for optimal performance. They also manage the flow of information during production.
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.
Production planners and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Planner | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $60,390 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $81,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Intuitive Surgical | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a production planner and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Production Planner | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between production planners' and production engineers' demographics:
| Production Planner | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 7.1% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 4% |