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The differences between lead 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 lead mechanical engineer and a design engineer. Additionally, a lead mechanical engineer has an average salary of $94,184, which is higher than the $77,134 average annual salary of a design engineer.
The top three skills for a lead mechanical engineer include mechanical engineering, CAD and solidworks. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Lead Mechanical Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,184 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $45.28 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 87,974 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A lead mechanical engineer is responsible for overseeing the overall project development processes, analyzing blueprints and specifications, and designing system models according to clients' requirements and budget limitations. Lead mechanical engineers inspect the efficiency of tools and materials and perform multiple diagnostic tests and quality checks to ensure the stability of the products for client satisfaction. They also guide the junior engineers in the integration of resources, as well as writing progress reports for the team's calibration.
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.
Lead mechanical engineers and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Mechanical Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $94,184 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $122,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lead mechanical engineer and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Mechanical Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | 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 lead mechanical engineers' and design engineers' demographics:
| Lead Mechanical Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.8% Female, 6.2% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 12.8% White, 69.7% 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% |