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The differences between machine designers and senior project 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 project engineer. Additionally, a senior project engineer has an average salary of $97,803, 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 project engineer are project management, construction management, and CAD.
| Machine Designer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $69,937 | $97,803 |
| Hourly rate | $33.62 | $47.02 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 81,897 | 146,838 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| 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 project engineer is responsible for monitoring the project team's overall process and operations from conceptualization until completion, ensuring the adherence to the clients' specifications, within the budget's goals, and the required deadline. Senior project engineers regularly communicate with the client regarding updates or necessary adjustments. They develop strategic procedures to finish the project efficiently by running diagnostic tests and troubleshooting discrepancies. A senior project engineer must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the team's performance and provide assistance when necessary.
Machine designers and senior project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Machine Designer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $69,937 | $97,803 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $100,000 | Between $77,000 And $124,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Ana, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Energy Inc. | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a machine designer and a senior project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Machine Designer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between machine designers' and senior project engineers' demographics:
| Machine Designer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 14.8% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |