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The differences between refrigeration 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 refrigeration engineer and a mechanical design engineer. Additionally, a refrigeration engineer has an average salary of $88,921, which is higher than the $75,821 average annual salary of a mechanical design engineer.
The top three skills for a refrigeration engineer include HVAC, freon and plumbing. The most important skills for a mechanical design engineer are CAD, mechanical design, and GD.
| Refrigeration Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,921 | $75,821 |
| Hourly rate | $42.75 | $36.45 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 64,405 | 120,258 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Refrigeration engineers are generally called to design and oversee the fabrication of both residential and industrial refrigeration systems, as well as troubleshoot any potential problems therewith. This choice of career will require a good knowledge base of thermodynamics, as well as computer-aided design systems. Refrigeration engineers must also have an understanding of health and safety regulation standards.
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.
Refrigeration engineers and mechanical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Refrigeration Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,921 | $75,821 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $125,000 | Between $59,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Standex International | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a refrigeration engineer and a mechanical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Refrigeration Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Heating And Air Conditioning | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Duke University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between refrigeration engineers' and mechanical design engineers' demographics:
| Refrigeration Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 99.0% Female, 1.0% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 10.4% White, 72.4% 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% |