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The differences between mechanical development engineers 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 development engineer and a project engineer. Additionally, a mechanical development engineer has an average salary of $91,933, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for a mechanical development engineer include CAD, solidworks and FEA. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,933 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $44.20 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 147,373 | 176,689 |
| 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.
A Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation. The Project Engineer will also recommend material, equipment, and the type of personnel needed. This position is integral in the smooth flow of any project, so hiring someone to hold this position will decide the success of a project.
Mechanical development engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $91,933 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $121,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a mechanical development engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Project 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 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between mechanical development engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| 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, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |