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The differences between lead piping designers and mechanical 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 piping designer and a mechanical engineer. Additionally, a lead piping designer has an average salary of $111,648, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a lead piping designer include autocad, equipment layout and p id. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Lead Piping Designer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $111,648 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $53.68 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 49,802 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A lead piping designer is primarily in charge of designing and drafting plans and layouts for developing and constructing pipe systems for water, gas, oil, petroleum, or sewage. Their job entails conducting extensive research and assessments, gathering and analyzing data, utilizing tools and software, coordinating with experts, and creating models for approval. Additionally, as a lead designer, it is essential to coordinate and lead junior designers in a joint effort to complete project goals while adhering to safety standards, 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.
Lead piping designers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Piping Designer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $111,648 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $158,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a lead piping designer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Piping Designer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between lead piping designers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Lead Piping Designer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 5% | 5% |