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The differences between senior process engineers and principal 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 senior process engineer, becoming a principal engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $105,378 average annual salary of a senior process engineer.
The top three skills for a senior process engineer include continuous improvement, project management and data analysis. The most important skills for a principal engineer are java, architecture, and python.
| Senior Process Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $105,378 | $130,213 |
| Hourly rate | $50.66 | $62.60 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 56,510 | 312,683 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A Senior Process Engineer assesses a process efficiency, effectiveness, safety, and quality. They also conduct process improvement initiatives and custom product developments.
A principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Senior process engineers and principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Process Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average salary | $105,378 | $130,213 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $134,000 | Between $95,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Louisiana | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Grubhub |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a senior process engineer and a principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Process Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior process engineers' and principal engineers' demographics:
| Senior Process Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 15.3% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |