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The differences between piping engineers and mechanical 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 piping engineer and a mechanical engineer. Additionally, a piping engineer has an average salary of $107,432, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a piping engineer include CAD, engineering design and API. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Piping Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,432 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $51.65 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 89,017 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Piping engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for the creation of piping systems that transport materials such as oil, gas, water, and waste from one location to another. These engineers are required to draw the blueprints for the system and then assist in selecting materials that are used to build the pipes and other piping components. They must travel to the installation site of the piping system and conduct surveys on the land for any irregularities. Piping engineers must also participate in cost management meetings with decision-makers to ensure proper budget allocation for the project.
Mechanical Engineers oversee the development of various mechanical devices in different industries. Most of the responsibilities will revolve around crafting, improving, or designing technologies by utilizing extensive expertise in the subject; they identify and detect errors, provide in-depth analysis, and resolve issues. They are often in designated offices, but they can also work on-site and travel if necessary. Furthermore, Mechanical Engineers usually function in a group or team setting, often supervised by personnel in higher positions.
Piping engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Piping Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,432 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $153,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Acme Cryogenics | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a piping engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Piping Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between piping engineers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Piping Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.9% 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, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |