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The differences between programming engineers and manufacturing engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a programming engineer, becoming a manufacturing engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a programming engineer has an average salary of $80,616, which is higher than the $78,522 average annual salary of a manufacturing engineer.
The top three skills for a programming engineer include project management, C++ and program management. The most important skills for a manufacturing engineer are lean manufacturing, CAD, and solidworks.
| Programming Engineer | Manufacturing Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $80,616 | $78,522 |
| Hourly rate | $38.76 | $37.75 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 92,726 | 115,384 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 41 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A programming engineer specializes in designing and developing programs and systems for various purposes. Their responsibilities revolve around meeting with clients to discuss their needs, coordinating with different professionals to establish networks, generating codes, and conducting tests and regular maintenance to ensure optimal quality. They must also address issues and concerns from clients, troubleshoot, and resolve any problems promptly. Should a programming engineer work for a company, there are instances where one must produce progress reports and create instructional materials for employees.
Manufacturing Engineers are responsible for handling and developing an efficient manufacturing system or procedure that will help a company produce up to standard products while in adherence to the policies, regulations, and expected cost and schedule. Furthermore, Manufacturing Engineers must also monitor quality control, identify or detect errors, provide and suggest improvements, oversee the procurement of materials involved in the production, and coordinate with various teams or departments within the company to ensure the effectiveness of innovations or new developments.
Programming engineers and manufacturing engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Programming Engineer | Manufacturing Engineer | |
| Average salary | $80,616 | $78,522 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $108,000 | Between $60,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a programming engineer and a manufacturing engineer in terms of educational background:
| Programming Engineer | Manufacturing Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between programming engineers' and manufacturing engineers' demographics:
| Programming Engineer | Manufacturing Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.8% Female, 15.2% | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 17.0% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |