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The differences between project 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 project engineer and a product development engineer. Additionally, a product development engineer has an average salary of $86,075, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for a project engineer include project management, autocad and construction management. The most important skills for a product development engineer are CAD, solidworks, and product development.
| Project Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,050 | $86,075 |
| Hourly rate | $36.08 | $41.38 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 176,689 | 202,155 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation. The Project Engineer will also recommend material, equipment, and the type of personnel needed. This position is integral in the smooth flow of any project, so hiring someone to hold this position will decide the success of a project.
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.
Project engineers and product development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,050 | $86,075 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $100,000 | Between $64,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | Sunnyvale, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a project engineer and a product development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Project Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between project engineers' and product development engineers' demographics:
| Project Engineer | Product Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% 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% |