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Mechanical contractor vs project engineer

The differences between mechanical contractors and 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 mechanical contractor and a project engineer. Additionally, a project engineer has an average salary of $75,050, which is higher than the $72,882 average annual salary of a mechanical contractor.

The top three skills for a mechanical contractor include plumbing, CAD and preventive maintenance. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.

Mechanical contractor vs project engineer overview

Mechanical ContractorProject Engineer
Yearly salary$72,882$75,050
Hourly rate$35.04$36.08
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs28,897176,689
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 43%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Average age4141
Years of experience66

Mechanical contractor vs project engineer salary

Mechanical contractors and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Mechanical ContractorProject Engineer
Average salary$72,882$75,050
Salary rangeBetween $53,000 And $100,000Between $55,000 And $100,000
Highest paying City-Richmond, CA
Highest paying state-Washington
Best paying company-Apple
Best paying industry-Energy

Differences between mechanical contractor and project engineer education

There are a few differences between a mechanical contractor and a project engineer in terms of educational background:

Mechanical ContractorProject Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 43%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Most common majorMechanical EngineeringMechanical Engineering
Most common collegeMichigan Technological UniversityMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Mechanical contractor vs project engineer demographics

Here are the differences between mechanical contractors' and project engineers' demographics:

Mechanical ContractorProject Engineer
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 90.3% Female, 9.7%Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between mechanical contractor and project engineer duties and responsibilities

Mechanical contractor example responsibilities.

  • Lead all CFD and FEA (shock and vibration) efforts, including product-performance optimization and impact of DFMA.
  • Lead weekly toolbox safety meetings, and monitor work to ensure full compliance with OSHA / HAZWHOPPER compliance requirements.
  • Manage paperwork associate with HVAC procedures.
  • Perform service calls on all types of heating and a/c equipment.
  • Service A/C units up to 40 ton.
  • Install 2 to 4 PVC and CPVC piping for wastes off of equipment.
  • Show more

Project engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage TCP/IP LAN environment for the time during implementation.
  • Support and manage the development of a CNC base electron beam drill.
  • Lead a MGPP six sigma project to improve the accuracy of 3D clutch cooling analysis
  • Manage the BHP enterprise wide migration from e-rooms to SharePoint for document management and team collaboration.
  • Manage the installation of a CNC laser cutting system with full responsibility for all aspects of the project.
  • Coordinate and manage activities of the 787-9 IPT's to complete the specific aircraft side of the test cells.
  • Show more

Mechanical contractor vs project engineer skills

Common mechanical contractor skills
  • Plumbing, 14%
  • CAD, 9%
  • Preventive Maintenance, 8%
  • Mechanical Systems, 7%
  • Ice Machines, 4%
  • Heat Pumps, 4%
Common project engineer skills
  • Project Management, 12%
  • Autocad, 7%
  • Construction Management, 6%
  • CAD, 4%
  • UL, 4%
  • Cost Estimates, 3%

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