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The differences between mechanical development engineers and design development 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 development engineer and a design development engineer. Additionally, a design development engineer has an average salary of $92,179, which is higher than the $91,933 average annual salary of a mechanical development engineer.
The top three skills for a mechanical development engineer include CAD, solidworks and FEA. The most important skills for a design development engineer are solidworks, FEA, and C++.
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Design Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,933 | $92,179 |
| Hourly rate | $44.20 | $44.32 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 147,373 | 174,870 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A mechanical development engineer plans and designs tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment. They perform duties such as overseeing the installation, operation, maintenance and repair of equipment and systems. They also produce specifications for new or modified systems. They supervise design engineering for a variety of facilities, and they coordinate the construction, assembly, and testing of equipment and systems.
Design development engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for testing products for various industries such as electronics and synthetic textiles. These engineers must collaborate with the research and development (R&D;) organization to carry out initial new product development projects. They are required to coordinate a project with clients and consultants to ensure the approval of project permits and construction feasibility. Design development engineers must also possess skills in using software such as SolidWorks to model complex product parts and components.
Mechanical development engineers and design development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Design Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $91,933 | $92,179 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $121,000 | Between $68,000 And $124,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a mechanical development engineer and a design development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Design Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between mechanical development engineers' and design development engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Design Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 15.8% 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% |