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The differences between engineering trainees 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 an engineering trainee and a mechanical engineer. Additionally, a mechanical engineer has an average salary of $75,352, which is higher than the $60,235 average annual salary of an engineering trainee.
The top three skills for an engineering trainee include fire protection, technical support and R. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Engineering Trainee | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $60,235 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $28.96 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 79,966 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An engineering trainee is responsible for shadowing engineers in their duties and performing administrative tasks as needed. Engineering trainees assist the engineers in inspecting construction sites and conducting field research. They also identify cost-efficient materials and resources that meet quality standards and client specifications. An engineering trainee must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports, attending meetings, and ensuring that all reports are submitted for management's reviews, such as contracts from suppliers and vendors.
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.
Engineering trainees and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Trainee | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $60,235 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $82,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Livingston, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | Crown Holdings | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between an engineering trainee and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Trainee | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between engineering trainees' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Engineering Trainee | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.0% Female, 20.0% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 25.1% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 6% | 5% |