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The differences between mechanical systems engineers and systems engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a mechanical systems engineer, becoming a systems engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a mechanical systems engineer has an average salary of $85,387, which is higher than the $82,834 average annual salary of a systems engineer.
The top three skills for a mechanical systems engineer include mechanical systems, CAD and system design. The most important skills for a systems engineer are python, linux, and C++.
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,387 | $82,834 |
| Hourly rate | $41.05 | $39.82 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 158,980 | 145,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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.
Systems engineers are responsible for creating and overseeing systems related to the overall operations of the organization. They are in charge of assessing the organization's needs in terms of systems and creating plans to address these needs. These systems are usually related to the production or manufacturing of company products. Systems engineers create end-to-end processes that ensure efficiency and effectiveness. They make sure that the processes they put in place adhere to safety and security policies and guidelines. They also do routine checks and continuously find ways to further improve production and other systems.
Mechanical systems engineers and systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,387 | $82,834 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $115,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Zoox | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a mechanical systems engineer and a systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between mechanical systems engineers' and systems engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.5% Female, 8.5% | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.7% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |