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The differences between mechanical systems engineers and 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 systems engineer and a design engineer. Additionally, a mechanical systems engineer has an average salary of $85,387, which is higher than the $77,134 average annual salary of a design engineer.
The top three skills for a mechanical systems engineer include mechanical systems, CAD and system design. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,387 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $41.05 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 158,980 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A mechanical systems engineer is responsible for designing tools and equipment, overseeing manufacturing processes, and running quality checks on the products to ensure adherence to business requirements and guidelines. Mechanical systems engineers analyze blueprints and specifications to recommend cost-reduction techniques and materials for production. They also inspect the operating systems and performance of equipment, resolving machinery failures, and modifying designs to improve feasibility. A mechanical systems engineer must have excellent technical and organizational skills, especially on researching current trends to identify opportunities that would generate more revenue resources and increase the company's profits.
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
Mechanical systems engineers and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,387 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $115,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Zoox | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a mechanical systems engineer and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between mechanical systems engineers' and design engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.5% Female, 8.5% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 12.8% White, 70.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |