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The differences between senior design specialists and mechanical 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 senior design specialist and a mechanical engineer. Additionally, a senior design specialist has an average salary of $96,923, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a senior design specialist include sketch, SR and design solutions. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Senior Design Specialist | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,923 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $46.60 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 45,603 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| 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.
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.
Senior design specialists and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Design Specialist | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $96,923 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $131,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a senior design specialist and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Design Specialist | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior design specialists' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Senior Design Specialist | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.9% Female, 25.1% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |