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The differences between project development engineers and junior 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 project development engineer, becoming a junior engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a project development engineer has an average salary of $85,059, which is higher than the $70,653 average annual salary of a junior engineer.
The top three skills for a project development engineer include renewable energy, project management and cost estimates. The most important skills for a junior engineer are control systems, java, and C++.
| Project Development Engineer | Junior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,059 | $70,653 |
| Hourly rate | $40.89 | $33.97 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 120,300 | 107,703 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A project development engineer designs and develops projects according to the client or company's goals and requirements. They typically perform extensive research and analysis, establish prototypes and test structures, coordinate with fellow experts, and study existing projects to identify their strengths and weaknesses, implementing solutions against problem areas. They may also provide technical guidance and support to staff, train junior engineers, and develop strategies to optimize project operations. Moreover, a project development engineer must maintain an active communication line with teams while enforcing safety policies and project regulations.
A Junior Engineer helps design, build, or maintain engines, machines, or public works. They work under the supervision of an engineer.
Project development engineers and junior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Development Engineer | Junior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,059 | $70,653 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $110,000 | Between $54,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Washington |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a project development engineer and a junior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Project Development Engineer | Junior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between project development engineers' and junior engineers' demographics:
| Project Development Engineer | Junior Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.5% Female, 15.5% | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 13.7% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |