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The differences between project engineers and mechanical design 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 project engineer and a mechanical design engineer. Additionally, a mechanical design engineer has an average salary of $75,821, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for a project engineer include project management, autocad and construction management. The most important skills for a mechanical design engineer are CAD, mechanical design, and GD.
| Project Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,050 | $75,821 |
| Hourly rate | $36.08 | $36.45 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 176,689 | 120,258 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation. The Project Engineer will also recommend material, equipment, and the type of personnel needed. This position is integral in the smooth flow of any project, so hiring someone to hold this position will decide the success of a project.
A mechanical design engineer specializes in designing various mechanical devices that will be vital in developing machinery or large structures. One of their primary responsibilities revolves around conducting thorough research and analysis, establishing layouts and prototypes, producing progress reports, and working alongside fellow engineers and skilled professionals. Typically assigned in an office setting, a mechanical design engineer must visit construction sites or factories to test and observe equipment qualities. Furthermore, during production, there are instances when a mechanical engineer must coordinate with suppliers, contractors, and clients.
Project engineers and mechanical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,050 | $75,821 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $100,000 | Between $59,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a project engineer and a mechanical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Project Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between project engineers' and mechanical design engineers' demographics:
| Project Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.4% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |