Mechanical superintendent vs section chief

The differences between mechanical superintendents and section chiefs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a mechanical superintendent and a section chief. Additionally, a mechanical superintendent has an average salary of $87,495, which is higher than the $78,816 average annual salary of a section chief.

The top three skills for a mechanical superintendent include construction management, HVAC and plumbing. The most important skills for a section chief are safety procedures, training programs, and professional development.

Mechanical superintendent vs section chief overview

	Mechanical Superintendent	Section Chief
Yearly salary	$87,495	$78,816
Hourly rate	$42.06	$37.89
Growth rate	2%	6%
Number of jobs	28,659	13,655
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	4	4

Mechanical superintendent vs section chief salary

Mechanical superintendents and section chiefs have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mechanical Superintendent	Section Chief
Average salary	$87,495	$78,816
Salary range	Between $65,000 And $116,000	Between $37,000 And $163,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Learjet
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between mechanical superintendent and section chief education

There are a few differences between a mechanical superintendent and a section chief in terms of educational background:

	Mechanical Superintendent	Section Chief
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common major	Mechanical Engineering	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Mechanical superintendent vs section chief demographics

Here are the differences between mechanical superintendents' and section chiefs' demographics:

	Mechanical Superintendent	Section Chief
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 98.4% Female, 1.6%	Male, 88.4% Female, 11.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 2.1% White, 68.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 2.1% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between mechanical superintendent and section chief duties and responsibilities

Mechanical superintendent example responsibilities.

Manage the installation of approximately 11,500 LF of pipe for a 60 cell air cool condenser (ACC).
Manage a team of 30 operators and maintenance personnel producing extrusion and blown polypropylene shrink film on a unionize site.
Work with plumbing, HVAC and fire protection sub contractors coordinating and inspection of mechanical systems through start-up and commissioning.
Direct oversight of outage preparations and implementation.
Supervise welders and pipe fitters on various maintenance projects throughout refinery.
frame 7 gas turbines, TOSHIBA steam turbine, NOOTER/ERIKSEN HRSG.

Section chief example responsibilities.

Manage sortie production on 17 USAF E-8C aircraft worth $6.2 billion.
Manage HAZMAT accumulation storage points and documentation.
Manage training time effectively ensuring employees have every opportunity to learn necessary skills to succeed in a combat environment.
Assist in planning, implementing and administering educational training that enhance performance in combat operations for soldiers to accomplish every mission.
Provide leadership and knowledge of federal shipping and logistics regulations by managing adherence to all policies and procedures from higher headquarters.
Complete HAZMAT transport course and establish on-site certifying capability.

Mechanical superintendent vs section chief skills

Common mechanical superintendent skills

Construction Management, 12%
HVAC, 11%
Plumbing, 9%
OSHA, 9%
Project Management, 8%
Cost Control, 6%

Common section chief skills

Safety Procedures, 22%
Training Programs, 9%
Professional Development, 7%
Logistical Support, 6%
Combat, 6%
Corrective Action, 5%

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Mechanical Superintendent
Mechanical Superintendent vs Section Chief

Updated January 8, 2025

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