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The differences between value engineers and production 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 value engineer and a production engineer. Additionally, a production engineer has an average salary of $89,727, which is higher than the $88,531 average annual salary of a value engineer.
The top three skills for a value engineer include project management, CAD and sigma. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Value Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,531 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $42.56 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 47,777 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 production engineer is responsible for monitoring the production operations, ensuring everyone's adherence to safety protocols, and evaluating the staff's performance, strategizing on maximizing productivity to deliver efficient results that would drive revenues and increase profitability. Production engineers inspect the reliability of production equipment and machinery, conducting preventive maintenance, and repair inconsistencies to prevent production delays. They also identify areas of improvement with the manufacturing processes and escalate best practices for improvement. A production engineer must be knowledgeable about technological advancements and incorporate ideas to minimize costs without sacrificing the quality of services.
Value engineers and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Value Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,531 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $124,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a value engineer and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Value Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between value engineers' and production engineers' demographics:
| Value Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.6% Female, 10.4% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| 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, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |