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The differences between project field 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 field engineer and a mechanical design engineer. Additionally, a mechanical design engineer has an average salary of $75,821, which is higher than the $71,292 average annual salary of a project field engineer.
The top three skills for a project field engineer include shop drawings, project management and OSHA. The most important skills for a mechanical design engineer are CAD, mechanical design, and GD.
| Project Field Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $71,292 | $75,821 |
| Hourly rate | $34.27 | $36.45 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 78,589 | 120,258 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Field engineers are engineering professionals who work on-site in a different setting to direct workers and report to the management about the status of different projects. These engineers are required to resolve malfunctions or other crises such as construction or machinery problems while overseeing repairs and technical improvements. They must conduct research and studies on-site and installing new systems and technology to ensure smooth operations of machinery. Field engineers must also communicate with clients to discuss and determine the needs and explain complex issues of projects.
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 field engineers and mechanical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Field Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $71,292 | $75,821 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $90,000 | Between $59,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Roseville, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oklahoma | California |
| Best paying company | OHL USA | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a project field engineer and a mechanical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Project Field Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Columbia University in the City of New York | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between project field engineers' and mechanical design engineers' demographics:
| Project Field Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |