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The differences between vehicle controls engineers and product 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 vehicle controls engineer and a product engineer. Additionally, a vehicle controls engineer has an average salary of $98,897, which is higher than the $89,645 average annual salary of a product engineer.
The top three skills for a vehicle controls engineer include canalyzer, vehicle dynamics and control systems. The most important skills for a product engineer are CAD, product design, and project management.
| Vehicle Controls Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $98,897 | $89,645 |
| Hourly rate | $47.55 | $43.10 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 78,830 | 157,888 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A vehicle controls engineer specializes in designing and developing automotive systems and solutions. They usually work at automotive manufacturing facilities where they spearhead projects, conduct research and analyses, gather and analyze data, study client and market feedback, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing systems to develop strategies that will optimize operations. Moreover, a vehicle controls engineer develops prototypes and test structures, coordinates with fellow experts, troubleshoots problems, set safety and efficiency guidelines, and manages staff while implementing company policies and regulations.
A product engineer specializes in designing and developing commercial materials and services. They are primarily responsible for conducting thorough research and analysis of the latest trends and marketing conditions to come up with new ideas and products for the public. Moreover, they are also responsible for producing reports and presentations, coordinating with the development team of their company. Product engineers also reach out to vendors and suppliers for the raw materials, set regulations and standards for the product, and even conduct a rigorous and regular quality check.
Vehicle controls engineers and product engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Vehicle Controls Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Average salary | $98,897 | $89,645 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $142,000 | Between $68,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Zoox | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a vehicle controls engineer and a product engineer in terms of educational background:
| Vehicle Controls Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between vehicle controls engineers' and product engineers' demographics:
| Vehicle Controls Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8% | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.0% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |