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The differences between mechanical development engineers and tool 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 tool engineer. Additionally, a tool engineer has an average salary of $101,135, 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 tool engineer are python, java, and CAD.
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,933 | $101,135 |
| Hourly rate | $44.20 | $48.62 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 147,373 | 98,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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 tooling engineer is responsible for creating and adjusting tools or parts for cars, heavy equipment, and other products that need customized or personalized components. Your duties and responsibilities will include creating design blueprints, using computer-aided (CAD) software to develop two- and three-dimensional prints, and validating and evaluating products. As a tooling engineer, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with operational standards such as the ISO 9000. You also have to provide technical assistance to manufacturing personnel and quality assurance.
Mechanical development engineers and tool engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average salary | $91,933 | $101,135 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $121,000 | Between $75,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a mechanical development engineer and a tool engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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 tool engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Development Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% | Male, 95.3% Female, 4.7% |
| 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, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |