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The differences between principal mechanical engineers and 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 principal mechanical engineer and an engineer. Additionally, a principal mechanical engineer has an average salary of $102,451, which is higher than the $92,077 average annual salary of an engineer.
The top three skills for a principal mechanical engineer include mechanical engineering, CAD and mechanical design. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Principal Mechanical Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $102,451 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $49.26 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 127,517 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A principal mechanical engineer is responsible for managing and maintaining the company's machinery, designing equipment that would support the business functions and operations efficiently, and inspecting tools for production processes. Principal mechanical engineers assist the work of junior engineers in manufacturing operations and resolving issues and tickets. They also conduct quality check procedures for the outputs, identify areas of improvement, and identify opportunities that would help the business grow more revenues and increase the company's profitability.
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Principal mechanical engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Mechanical Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $102,451 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $133,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a principal mechanical engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Mechanical Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between principal mechanical engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Principal Mechanical Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 15.7% White, 68.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |