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The differences between mechanical design engineers and product 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 design engineer and a product engineer. Additionally, a product engineer has an average salary of $89,645, 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 a product engineer are CAD, product design, and project management.
| Mechanical Design Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,821 | $89,645 |
| Hourly rate | $36.45 | $43.10 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 120,258 | 157,888 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
A product engineer specializes in designing and developing commercial materials and services. They are primarily responsible for conducting thorough research and analysis of the latest trends and marketing conditions to come up with new ideas and products for the public. Moreover, they are also responsible for producing reports and presentations, coordinating with the development team of their company. Product engineers also reach out to vendors and suppliers for the raw materials, set regulations and standards for the product, and even conduct a rigorous and regular quality check.
Mechanical design engineers and product engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Design Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,821 | $89,645 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $96,000 | Between $68,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a mechanical design engineer and a product engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Design Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between mechanical design engineers' and product engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Design Engineer | Product Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.0% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |