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The differences between mechanical development engineers and senior 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 senior mechanical engineer. Additionally, a senior mechanical engineer has an average salary of $103,836, 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 senior mechanical engineer are mechanical engineering, CAD, and solidworks.
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Senior Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,933 | $103,836 |
| Hourly rate | $44.20 | $49.92 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 147,373 | 98,063 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| 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 senior mechanical engineer is responsible for designing and improving mechanical equipment, as well as industrial devices and machinery. Senior mechanical engineers verify the materials and resources, ensuring that the processes meet the budget goals from clients' specifications and requirements. They also monitor the manufacturing process, developing strategic procedures for operations improvement, and maximizing staff productivity. A senior mechanical engineer runs multiple diagnostic tests to guarantee the stability and efficiency of the item and coordinating with the client for any plan adjustments as needed.
Mechanical development engineers and senior mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Senior Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $91,933 | $103,836 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $121,000 | Between $79,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Amazon | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a mechanical development engineer and a senior mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Senior Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| 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 senior mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Senior Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 15.8% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |