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The differences between project development engineers and staff 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 staff engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a staff engineer has an average salary of $107,530, which is higher than the $85,059 average annual salary of a project development engineer.
The top three skills for a project development engineer include renewable energy, project management and cost estimates. The most important skills for a staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Project Development Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,059 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $40.89 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 120,300 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| 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.
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
Project development engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Development Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,059 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $110,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | California |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Flexport |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a project development engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Project Development Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between project development engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Project Development Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.5% Female, 15.5% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| 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, 16.8% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |