Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between standards engineers and project lead 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 standards engineer and a project lead engineer. Additionally, a project lead engineer has an average salary of $106,946, which is higher than the $97,266 average annual salary of a standards engineer.
The top three skills for a standards engineer include CAD, ISO and IP. The most important skills for a project lead engineer are project management, renewable energy, and project execution.
| Standards Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,266 | $106,946 |
| Hourly rate | $46.76 | $51.42 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 44,996 | 98,018 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
As a standards engineer, one focuses on the standards and specifications to which people work, how engineering products are developed, and where their quality is based. Standards engineers create technical and engineering applications and limitations for designs, materials, methods, and engineering practices. The engineers work with industrial organization management to maintain a harmonious relationship. They share their knowledge and expertise in engineering technicalities with the field staff. They are effective in carrying out their duties if they have skills in communication, teamwork, innovation, and attention to detail.
Project lead engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for leading other professionals in completing a particular project. These engineers must develop a project management framework to be implemented throughout the organization based on the inputs from internal stakeholders and team members. They are required to train junior team members so that they can provide proper technical support functions. Project lead engineers must also prepare and review cost estimates for a variety of projects during bidding, construction, and post-construction phases.
Standards engineers and project lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Standards Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,266 | $106,946 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $149,000 | Between $78,000 And $146,000 |
| Highest paying City | Everett, WA | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a standards engineer and a project lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Standards Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between standards engineers' and project lead engineers' demographics:
| Standards Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.1% Female, 15.9% | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 12.1% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 15.2% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |