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The differences between mechanical development engineers and student 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 student engineer. Additionally, a mechanical development engineer has an average salary of $91,933, which is higher than the $71,947 average annual salary of a student engineer.
The top three skills for a mechanical development engineer include CAD, solidworks and FEA. The most important skills for a student engineer are GPA, C++, and CAD.
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,933 | $71,947 |
| Hourly rate | $44.20 | $34.59 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 147,373 | 98,036 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| 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 student engineer is an individual who trains to become a full pledge professional engineer by gaining working experience in the field of engineering. By using their knowledge in the principles of science and mathematics, student engineers should help other professionals develop economical solutions and solve technical problems. They are required to engage themselves in the testing, production, or maintenance of newly developed products. Student engineers are also required to work closely with their senior managers or supervisors.
Mechanical development engineers and student engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Average salary | $91,933 | $71,947 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $121,000 | Between $54,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | Yakima, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Amazon | JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a mechanical development engineer and a student engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| 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 student engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% |
| 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, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 15.9% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |