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The differences between design 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 design engineer and a mechanical engineer. Additionally, a design engineer has an average salary of $77,134, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a design engineer include C++, UL and project management. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Design Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $77,134 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $37.08 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 138,173 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
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.
Design engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $77,134 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $102,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a design engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Design Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | 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 design engineers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Design Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |