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The differences between contracting engineers and mechanical 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 contracting engineer and a mechanical engineer. Additionally, a contracting engineer has an average salary of $122,620, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a contracting engineer include C++, C # and R. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Contracting Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $122,620 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $58.95 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 115,631 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A contracting engineer specializes in overseeing engineering projects, focusing on the legalities of contracts between clients and engineers to ensure fairness in all parties involved. Most of their duties are administrative, such as gathering and analyzing data, conducting research and analyses, setting budgets and guidelines, drafting commercial tenders and other paperwork, maintaining records, and executing contracts. They are also responsible for handling contract issues and concerns, solving them promptly and efficiently. Additionally, a contracting engineer maintains an open communication line with all parties to ensure a smooth workflow.
Mechanical Engineers oversee the development of various mechanical devices in different industries. Most of the responsibilities will revolve around crafting, improving, or designing technologies by utilizing extensive expertise in the subject; they identify and detect errors, provide in-depth analysis, and resolve issues. They are often in designated offices, but they can also work on-site and travel if necessary. Furthermore, Mechanical Engineers usually function in a group or team setting, often supervised by personnel in higher positions.
Contracting engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contracting Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $122,620 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $173,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Washington |
| Best paying company | EquiLend | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Energy |
There are a few differences between a contracting engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Contracting Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between contracting engineers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Contracting Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |