Mechanical engineering technologist vs product engineer

The differences between mechanical engineering technologists and product 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 engineering technologist and a product engineer. Additionally, a product engineer has an average salary of $89,645, which is higher than the $57,409 average annual salary of a mechanical engineering technologist.

The top three skills for a mechanical engineering technologist include CAD, solidworks and prototype. The most important skills for a product engineer are CAD, product design, and project management.

Mechanical engineering technologist vs product engineer overview

	Mechanical Engineering Technologist	Product Engineer
Yearly salary	$57,409	$89,645
Hourly rate	$27.60	$43.10
Growth rate	3%	2%
Number of jobs	120,125	157,888
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age	45	41
Years of experience	6	6

What does a mechanical engineering technologist do?

A Mechanical Engineering Technologist is responsible for developing and assembling mechanical parts and components, following the head engineer's design specifications. They identify resources for manufacturing, ensuring that the deliverables follow the high-quality standards and requirements. They also analyze the design and recommend adjustments for outputs, if there are any. A Mechanical Engineering Technologist operates various mechanical tools and equipment to perform tasks efficiently, requiring strict adherence to the safety protocols and regulations within the operational premises.

What does a product engineer do?

A product engineer specializes in designing and developing commercial materials and services. They are primarily responsible for conducting thorough research and analysis of the latest trends and marketing conditions to come up with new ideas and products for the public. Moreover, they are also responsible for producing reports and presentations, coordinating with the development team of their company. Product engineers also reach out to vendors and suppliers for the raw materials, set regulations and standards for the product, and even conduct a rigorous and regular quality check.

Mechanical engineering technologist vs product engineer salary

Mechanical engineering technologists and product engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mechanical Engineering Technologist	Product Engineer
Average salary	$57,409	$89,645
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $76,000	Between $68,000 And $118,000
Highest paying City	Santa Clara, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	California
Best paying company	Apple	Meta
Best paying industry	Automotive	Technology

Differences between mechanical engineering technologist and product engineer education

There are a few differences between a mechanical engineering technologist and a product engineer in terms of educational background:

	Mechanical Engineering Technologist	Product Engineer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common major	Mechanical Engineering	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	Northwestern University	Michigan Technological University

Mechanical engineering technologist vs product engineer demographics

Here are the differences between mechanical engineering technologists' and product engineers' demographics:

	Mechanical Engineering Technologist	Product Engineer
Average age	45	41
Gender ratio	Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4%	Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 9.2% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.0% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	6%	5%

Differences between mechanical engineering technologist and product engineer duties and responsibilities

Mechanical engineering technologist example responsibilities.

Manage and coordinate a company wide transition from 2D AutoCAD to a 3D modeling environment.
Manage and distribute cad standards to contributing design consultants and assist with any design issues as necessary.
Test, troubleshoot, disassemble and repair mechanical equipment supporting the U.S. navy's MK30 underwater target program.
Certify parts and write reports to the ASME, ASTM, and CSA standards.
Circuit design and PCB layout.
Design of assembly jigs and fixtures.

Product engineer example responsibilities.

Lead team to achieve project objectives and report results to Sr. Management.
Manage outsourced $500k mix mode voice security IC development.
Manage various EHS activities at the Fremont, California facility.
Manage coordination of APQP, component timing, and technical resource allocation for commercial issues.
Manage the manufacturing of defense and aerospace electro-mechanical print circuit boards from prototype to production level.
Sketch concepts (Creo), coordinate prototype builds, provide assembly instructions and troubleshoot build issues.

Mechanical engineering technologist vs product engineer skills

Common mechanical engineering technologist skills

CAD, 8%
Solidworks, 7%
Prototype, 6%
Engineering Drawings, 5%
Hand Tools, 4%
Mechanical Systems, 4%

Common product engineer skills

CAD, 6%
Product Design, 5%
Project Management, 4%
C++, 4%
Solidworks, 3%
Product Development, 3%

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Mechanical Engineering Technologist
Mechanical Engineering Technologist vs Product Engineer

Updated January 8, 2025

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