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The differences between maintenance engineers and design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a maintenance engineer, becoming a design engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a design engineer has an average salary of $77,134, which is higher than the $47,133 average annual salary of a maintenance engineer.
The top three skills for a maintenance engineer include plumbing, HVAC and guest rooms. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Maintenance Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $47,133 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $22.66 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 97,957 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 47 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A maintenance engineer is responsible for the maintenance of industrial machinery and inspects equipment defects for immediate troubleshooting or replacement as needed. Maintenance engineers install and upgrade system components to improve system optimization and perform diagnostic systems to locate any adjustments. They also conduct routine checks, assist clients with technical faults, and ensure that the equipment works safely for certain operations. A maintenance engineer must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry to address technical malfunctions immediately.
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
Maintenance engineers and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Maintenance Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $47,133 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $74,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Halliburton | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a maintenance engineer and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Maintenance Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between maintenance engineers' and design engineers' demographics:
| Maintenance Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 47 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 4.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 5% |