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The differences between mechanical engineers and product design 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 engineer and a product design engineer. Additionally, a product design engineer has an average salary of $94,827, 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 product design engineer are CAD, mechanical design, and GD.
| Mechanical Engineer | Product Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,352 | $94,827 |
| Hourly rate | $36.23 | $45.59 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 105,618 | 170,485 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 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 Product Design Engineer designs new products that customers will want to purchase. They are responsible for designing, modeling, and testing prototypes for products.
Mechanical engineers and product design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Engineer | Product Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,352 | $94,827 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $97,000 | Between $69,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a mechanical engineer and a product design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Engineer | Product Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between mechanical engineers' and product design engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Engineer | Product Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 90.9% Female, 9.1% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.2% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |