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The differences between machine designers and senior 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 designer and a senior engineer. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $69,937 average annual salary of a machine designer.
The top three skills for a machine designer include solidworks, machine design and autocad. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Machine Designer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $69,937 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $33.62 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 81,897 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A mechanical designer creates and draws different designs for pieces of machinery and other equipment. They are often patterned with engineers and other related professionals to create a variety of types of machinery. Typically they work in an office setting, with the majority at architecture, manufacturing, and engineering firms. They may also be the person who develops and provides layout designs for customers and clients. A person who is creative, has a background in product development, and possesses analytic skills may be a great fit for the job.
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Machine designers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Machine Designer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $69,937 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $100,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Ana, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Energy Inc. | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a machine designer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Machine Designer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between machine designers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Machine Designer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 10.2% White, 71.7% 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% |