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The differences between mechanical development engineers and mechanical 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 mechanical engineer. Additionally, a mechanical development engineer has an average salary of $91,933, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a mechanical development engineer include CAD, solidworks and FEA. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,933 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $44.20 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 147,373 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| 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.
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.
Mechanical development engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $91,933 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $121,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a mechanical development engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| 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 mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| 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, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |