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The differences between junior mechanical engineers and 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 junior mechanical engineer and a design engineer. Additionally, a design engineer has an average salary of $77,134, which is higher than the $69,855 average annual salary of a junior mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a junior mechanical engineer include mechanical engineering, solidworks and mechanical systems. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Junior Mechanical Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $69,855 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $33.58 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 87,397 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A junior mechanical engineer is responsible for designing tools and equipment under the supervision of a senior mechanical engineer. Junior mechanical engineers assist in building project plans with the whole team from its conceptualization to final deliverables, following client specifications and business requirements according to budget limitations and deadlines. They also submit precise measurements, including the cost of materials and schematics. A junior mechanical engineer must have excellent technical, mechanical, and analytical skills, especially on writing detailed progress reports and adjust design plans as needed.
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.
Junior mechanical engineers and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Mechanical Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $69,855 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $86,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Eaton | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a junior mechanical engineer and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Mechanical Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between junior mechanical engineers' and design engineers' demographics:
| Junior Mechanical Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.9% Female, 9.1% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |