Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between mechanical design engineers and electrical design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a mechanical design engineer, becoming an electrical design engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an electrical design engineer has an average salary of $83,944, which is higher than the $75,821 average annual salary of a mechanical design engineer.
The top three skills for a mechanical design engineer include CAD, mechanical design and GD. The most important skills for an electrical design engineer are electrical design, revit, and electrical systems.
| Mechanical Design Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,821 | $83,944 |
| Hourly rate | $36.45 | $40.36 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 120,258 | 87,121 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A mechanical design engineer specializes in designing various mechanical devices that will be vital in developing machinery or large structures. One of their primary responsibilities revolves around conducting thorough research and analysis, establishing layouts and prototypes, producing progress reports, and working alongside fellow engineers and skilled professionals. Typically assigned in an office setting, a mechanical design engineer must visit construction sites or factories to test and observe equipment qualities. Furthermore, during production, there are instances when a mechanical engineer must coordinate with suppliers, contractors, and clients.
An electrical design engineer develops electrical systems for different applications. Electrical design engineers create system layouts and specifications. They test the systems and make some adjustments whenever necessary. The solutions they create range from component designs to large systems. The set of skills imperative for this job include good technical abilities, teamwork, motivation for extra work hours, ability to execute job under pressure, and enthusiasm. They should also be savvy in technology and innovation.
Mechanical design engineers and electrical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Design Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,821 | $83,944 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $96,000 | Between $63,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a mechanical design engineer and an electrical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Design Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between mechanical design engineers' and electrical design engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Design Engineer | Electrical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.4% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |