Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between mechanical systems engineers and principal 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 principal engineer. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $85,387 average annual salary of a mechanical systems engineer.
The top three skills for a mechanical systems engineer include mechanical systems, CAD and system design. The most important skills for a principal engineer are java, architecture, and python.
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,387 | $130,213 |
| Hourly rate | $41.05 | $62.60 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 158,980 | 312,683 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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 principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Mechanical systems engineers and principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,387 | $130,213 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $115,000 | Between $95,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Zoox | Grubhub |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a mechanical systems engineer and a principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between mechanical systems engineers' and principal engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.5% Female, 8.5% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |