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The differences between product development 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 product development engineer and a mechanical engineer. Additionally, a product development engineer has an average salary of $86,075, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a product development engineer include CAD, solidworks and product development. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Product Development Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $86,075 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $41.38 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 202,155 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Product Development Engineer is responsible for creating and testing new product designs. They collaborate with market researchers to evaluate market needs, existing competition, and potential costs.
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.
Product development engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Development Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $86,075 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $113,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a product development engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Product Development Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | 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 product development engineers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Product Development Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% | 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% |