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The differences between value engineers and design 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 value engineer, becoming a design engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a value engineer has an average salary of $88,531, which is higher than the $77,134 average annual salary of a design engineer.
The top three skills for a value engineer include project management, CAD and sigma. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Value Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,531 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $42.56 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 47,777 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A value engineer specializes in designing and developing procedures and strategies to enhance the value of projects and operations in an organization. Although the extent of their responsibilities varies on their company or industry of employment, it usually includes conducting research and analysis, reviewing documentation, developing tools, creating and presenting financial models, and help in developing processes and practices to optimize operations. Moreover, a value engineer typically works in a team environment, which requires an active communication line for a safe and efficient workflow.
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
Value engineers and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Value Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,531 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $124,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a value engineer and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Value Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between value engineers' and design engineers' demographics:
| Value Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.6% Female, 10.4% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 12.2% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |