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The differences between senior design specialists and senior 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 senior mechanical engineer. Additionally, a senior mechanical engineer has an average salary of $103,836, which is higher than the $96,923 average annual salary of a senior design specialist.
The top three skills for a senior design specialist include sketch, SR and design solutions. The most important skills for a senior mechanical engineer are mechanical engineering, CAD, and solidworks.
| Senior Design Specialist | Senior Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,923 | $103,836 |
| Hourly rate | $46.60 | $49.92 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 45,603 | 98,063 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| 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 senior mechanical engineer is responsible for designing and improving mechanical equipment, as well as industrial devices and machinery. Senior mechanical engineers verify the materials and resources, ensuring that the processes meet the budget goals from clients' specifications and requirements. They also monitor the manufacturing process, developing strategic procedures for operations improvement, and maximizing staff productivity. A senior mechanical engineer runs multiple diagnostic tests to guarantee the stability and efficiency of the item and coordinating with the client for any plan adjustments as needed.
Senior design specialists and senior mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Design Specialist | Senior Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $96,923 | $103,836 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $131,000 | Between $79,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a senior design specialist and a senior mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Design Specialist | Senior Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| 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 senior mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Senior Design Specialist | Senior Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.9% Female, 25.1% | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 15.8% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |