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The differences between machine design engineers and service 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 machine design engineer and a service engineer. Additionally, a service engineer has an average salary of $87,151, which is higher than the $79,371 average annual salary of a machine design engineer.
The top three skills for a machine design engineer include solidworks, project management and FEA. The most important skills for a service engineer are customer service, infrastructure, and cloud.
| Machine Design Engineer | Service Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $79,371 | $87,151 |
| Hourly rate | $38.16 | $41.90 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 136,423 | 143,806 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A machine design engineer specializes in designing and developing machines, tools, and engines for different industries. Their duties include identifying and understanding project requirements, creating blueprints and prototypes, selecting ideal resources, establishing and implementing test plans, facilitating upgrades, and setting protocols and standards. They also enhance existing machines by identifying their strengths and weaknesses and providing solutions against potential issues. Additionally, a machine design engineer usually works in a team environment, which requires an open communication line for efficient workflow.
A service engineer is responsible for assisting the customers' concerns regarding the products and services offered by the company through technical support solutions. Service engineers conduct preventive maintenance, upgrade systems to boost optimal performance, create product manuals, record the occurring issues, perform adjustments on the systems infrastructure, identify business opportunities to generate more revenues, and analyze current market trends to meet client demands. A service engineer must have excellent communication skills, including extensive knowledge of the technology industry and network systems.
Machine design engineers and service engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Machine Design Engineer | Service Engineer | |
| Average salary | $79,371 | $87,151 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $108,000 | Between $62,000 And $122,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a machine design engineer and a service engineer in terms of educational background:
| Machine Design Engineer | Service Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between machine design engineers' and service engineers' demographics:
| Machine Design Engineer | Service Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.4% Female, 3.6% | Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 13.2% White, 69.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |