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The differences between mechanical engineers and chemical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a chemical engineer has an average salary of $89,449, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a mechanical engineer include CAD, solidworks and mechanical systems. The most important skills for a chemical engineer are chemistry, technical support, and co-op.
| Mechanical Engineer | Chemical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,352 | $89,449 |
| Hourly rate | $36.23 | $43.00 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 105,618 | 42,176 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
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.
A chemical engineer provides support for chemical operations and testing new processes. The processes they successfully come up with are used to make different products from gas, oil, food, and drink. It is their job to assist in designing new chemical processes and make improvements. They implement fresh ideas to improve standard quality and efficiency. They must be good planners and schedulers of project activities to help chemical technicians to achieve their project objectives and provide technical support to maintain safe, stable, and reliable operations.
Mechanical engineers and chemical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Engineer | Chemical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,352 | $89,449 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $97,000 | Between $67,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Sugar Land, TX |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Texas |
| Best paying company | Meta | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a mechanical engineer and a chemical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Engineer | Chemical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Chemical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between mechanical engineers' and chemical engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Engineer | Chemical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 21.3% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 9% |