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The differences between instrumentation engineers and mechanical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an instrumentation engineer, becoming a mechanical engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an instrumentation engineer has an average salary of $88,783, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for an instrumentation engineer include PLC, autocad and analyzers. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Instrumentation Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,783 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $42.68 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 45,735 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
An instrumentation engineer specializes in designing and developing equipment to optimize business processes. Their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to identify the needs of a company, coordinating with different departments to gather data, devising strategies to create new processes, and preparing reports and presentations for the executives. An instrumentation engineer mostly performs installations and repairs; they also conduct regular maintenance to ensure the efficiency of facilities. Furthermore, they must answer inquiries and resolve issues and concerns, all in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Instrumentation engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instrumentation Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,783 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $119,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cupertino, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Government | Energy |
There are a few differences between an instrumentation engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Instrumentation Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between instrumentation engineers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Instrumentation Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 63.2% 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% |