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The differences between design development engineers and mechanical design 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 design development engineer and a mechanical design engineer. Additionally, a design development engineer has an average salary of $92,179, which is higher than the $75,821 average annual salary of a mechanical design engineer.
The top three skills for a design development engineer include solidworks, FEA and C++. The most important skills for a mechanical design engineer are CAD, mechanical design, and GD.
| Design Development Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,179 | $75,821 |
| Hourly rate | $44.32 | $36.45 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 174,870 | 120,258 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Design development engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for testing products for various industries such as electronics and synthetic textiles. These engineers must collaborate with the research and development (R&D;) organization to carry out initial new product development projects. They are required to coordinate a project with clients and consultants to ensure the approval of project permits and construction feasibility. Design development engineers must also possess skills in using software such as SolidWorks to model complex product parts and components.
A mechanical design engineer specializes in designing various mechanical devices that will be vital in developing machinery or large structures. One of their primary responsibilities revolves around conducting thorough research and analysis, establishing layouts and prototypes, producing progress reports, and working alongside fellow engineers and skilled professionals. Typically assigned in an office setting, a mechanical design engineer must visit construction sites or factories to test and observe equipment qualities. Furthermore, during production, there are instances when a mechanical engineer must coordinate with suppliers, contractors, and clients.
Design development engineers and mechanical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Development Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,179 | $75,821 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $124,000 | Between $59,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a design development engineer and a mechanical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Design Development Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between design development engineers' and mechanical design engineers' demographics:
| Design Development Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.4% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |