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The differences between lead mechanical engineers and senior 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 senior design engineer. Additionally, a senior design engineer has an average salary of $104,698, which is higher than the $94,184 average annual salary of a lead mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a lead mechanical engineer include mechanical engineering, CAD and solidworks. The most important skills for a senior design engineer are CAD, project management, and RF.
| Lead Mechanical Engineer | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,184 | $104,698 |
| Hourly rate | $45.28 | $50.34 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 87,974 | 127,035 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| 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 senior design engineer is responsible for creating mechanical and electrical designs for machines and systems, following clients' specifications and business guidelines. Senior design engineers also assist junior design engineers with their tasks, sharing best practices and techniques, and suggesting adjustments as needed. They also oversee the manufacturing process, inspect possible inconsistencies, and revise plans without exceeding the agreed budget or compromising the quality. A senior design engineer must be keen with details and highly organizational, especially on meeting deadlines with the highest client satisfaction.
Lead mechanical engineers and senior design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Mechanical Engineer | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $94,184 | $104,698 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $122,000 | Between $80,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lead mechanical engineer and a senior design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Mechanical Engineer | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| 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 senior design engineers' demographics:
| Lead Mechanical Engineer | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.8% Female, 6.2% | Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |