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The differences between project development engineers and process improvement engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a project development engineer and a process improvement engineer. Additionally, a project development engineer has an average salary of $85,059, which is higher than the $82,473 average annual salary of a process improvement engineer.
The top three skills for a project development engineer include renewable energy, project management and cost estimates. The most important skills for a process improvement engineer are lean six sigma, sigma, and project management.
| Project Development Engineer | Process Improvement Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,059 | $82,473 |
| Hourly rate | $40.89 | $39.65 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 120,300 | 55,438 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 process improvement engineer specializes in conducting research and analysis to develop new strategies and ideas to improve the processes in a manufacturing plant or a similar setting. They prioritize efficiency and profitability. Most of the time, engineers participate in a series of meetings where they coordinate with fellow engineers to determine opportunities for product growth and development. Moreover, a process improvement engineer is also responsible for crafting new policies and regulations, upgrading systems, and developing new practices to ensure product quality and customer satisfaction.
Project development engineers and process improvement engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Development Engineer | Process Improvement Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,059 | $82,473 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $110,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a project development engineer and a process improvement engineer in terms of educational background:
| Project Development Engineer | Process Improvement Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | New York University |
Here are the differences between project development engineers' and process improvement engineers' demographics:
| Project Development Engineer | Process Improvement Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.5% Female, 15.5% | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 10.5% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |