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The differences between manufacturing engineers and mechanical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a manufacturing engineer, becoming a mechanical engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a manufacturing engineer has an average salary of $78,522, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a manufacturing engineer include lean manufacturing, CAD and solidworks. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Manufacturing Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $78,522 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $37.75 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 115,384 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Manufacturing Engineers are responsible for handling and developing an efficient manufacturing system or procedure that will help a company produce up to standard products while in adherence to the policies, regulations, and expected cost and schedule. Furthermore, Manufacturing Engineers must also monitor quality control, identify or detect errors, provide and suggest improvements, oversee the procurement of materials involved in the production, and coordinate with various teams or departments within the company to ensure the effectiveness of innovations or new developments.
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.
Manufacturing engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $78,522 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $102,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing engineers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 17.0% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |