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The differences between reliability 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 reliability engineer, becoming a mechanical engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a reliability engineer has an average salary of $105,551, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a reliability engineer include java, troubleshoot and ruby. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Reliability Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $105,551 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $50.75 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 44,471 | 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 reliability engineer is in charge of determining and managing the asset reliability risks of businesses. Reliability engineers are professionals who solve problems related to engineering. They are equipped with a better understanding of the principles of performance evaluation and prediction for product safety. The job requires knowledge of the field of engineering, strong communication, interpersonal skills, management skills, attention to detail, and reliability. They are also expected to become experts in engineering systems.
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.
Reliability engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Reliability Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $105,551 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $76,000 And $144,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Energy |
There are a few differences between a reliability engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Reliability 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 reliability engineers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Reliability Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 14.3% White, 66.5% 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% |