Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between production engineers and mechanical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a production engineer, becoming a mechanical engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a production engineer has an average salary of $89,727, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a production engineer include java, continuous improvement and lean manufacturing. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Production Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,727 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $43.14 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 94,789 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A production engineer is responsible for monitoring the production operations, ensuring everyone's adherence to safety protocols, and evaluating the staff's performance, strategizing on maximizing productivity to deliver efficient results that would drive revenues and increase profitability. Production engineers inspect the reliability of production equipment and machinery, conducting preventive maintenance, and repair inconsistencies to prevent production delays. They also identify areas of improvement with the manufacturing processes and escalate best practices for improvement. A production engineer must be knowledgeable about technological advancements and incorporate ideas to minimize costs without sacrificing the quality of services.
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.
Production engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,727 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $125,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a production engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Production Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between production engineers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Production Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 4% | 5% |