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The differences between senior design specialists and mechanical designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a senior design specialist and a mechanical designer. Additionally, a senior design specialist has an average salary of $96,923, which is higher than the $62,541 average annual salary of a mechanical designer.
The top three skills for a senior design specialist include sketch, SR and design solutions. The most important skills for a mechanical designer are mechanical design, revit, and auto cad.
| Senior Design Specialist | Mechanical Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,923 | $62,541 |
| Hourly rate | $46.60 | $30.07 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 45,603 | 65,748 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A senior design specialist's main responsibility is managing design projects and delivering them within the deadlines. They have to also look after the junior designers and ensure that the quality of designs meets company standards.
A mechanical designer is responsible for designing mechanical equipment and devices, together with the engineers and other technology professionals. Mechanical designers create layouts following the clients' specifications, perform structural analysis, and analyze dimensions to ensure quality. They also inspect overall equipment performance and recommend adjustments as needed to improve its quality and boost optimization. Mechanical designers assist with installation and system upgrades, respond with the clients' inquiries and concerns, and escalate it to the appropriate personnel for resolution. A mechanical designer must have a strong knowledge of the mechanical and technology industry to build designs according to the highest standards.
Senior design specialists and mechanical designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Design Specialist | Mechanical Designer | |
| Average salary | $96,923 | $62,541 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $131,000 | Between $46,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a senior design specialist and a mechanical designer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Design Specialist | Mechanical Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between senior design specialists' and mechanical designers' demographics:
| Senior Design Specialist | Mechanical Designer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.9% Female, 25.1% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 10.4% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 10.5% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |