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The differences between principal mechanical 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 principal mechanical engineer and a mechanical engineer. Additionally, a principal mechanical engineer has an average salary of $102,451, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a principal mechanical engineer include mechanical engineering, CAD and mechanical design. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Principal Mechanical Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $102,451 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $49.26 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 127,517 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| 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.
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.
Principal mechanical engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Mechanical Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $102,451 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $133,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | Washington |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Energy |
There are a few differences between a principal mechanical engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Mechanical Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | 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 principal mechanical engineers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Principal Mechanical Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| 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, 3.1% 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% |