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The differences between junior mechanical engineers and product 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 product engineer. Additionally, a product engineer has an average salary of $89,645, 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 product engineer are CAD, product design, and project management.
| Junior Mechanical Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $69,855 | $89,645 |
| Hourly rate | $33.58 | $43.10 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 87,397 | 157,888 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| 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 product engineer specializes in designing and developing commercial materials and services. They are primarily responsible for conducting thorough research and analysis of the latest trends and marketing conditions to come up with new ideas and products for the public. Moreover, they are also responsible for producing reports and presentations, coordinating with the development team of their company. Product engineers also reach out to vendors and suppliers for the raw materials, set regulations and standards for the product, and even conduct a rigorous and regular quality check.
Junior mechanical engineers and product engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Mechanical Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Average salary | $69,855 | $89,645 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $86,000 | Between $68,000 And $118,000 |
| 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 product engineer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Mechanical Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| 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 product engineers' demographics:
| Junior Mechanical Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.9% Female, 9.1% | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.0% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |