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The differences between programming engineers and product development engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a programming engineer and a product development engineer. Additionally, a product development engineer has an average salary of $86,075, which is higher than the $80,616 average annual salary of a programming engineer.
The top three skills for a programming engineer include project management, C++ and program management. The most important skills for a product development engineer are CAD, solidworks, and product development.
| Programming Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $80,616 | $86,075 |
| Hourly rate | $38.76 | $41.38 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 92,726 | 202,155 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
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.
Programming engineers and product development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Programming Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $80,616 | $86,075 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $108,000 | Between $64,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Sunnyvale, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a programming engineer and a product development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Programming Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between programming engineers' and product development engineers' demographics:
| Programming Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.8% Female, 15.2% | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% |
| 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, 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 | 5% | 5% |