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The differences between senior mechanical designers and 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 mechanical designer and an engineer. Additionally, a senior mechanical designer has an average salary of $103,765, which is higher than the $92,077 average annual salary of an engineer.
The top three skills for a senior mechanical designer include CAD, mechanical design and GD. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Senior Mechanical Designer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $103,765 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $49.89 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 71,958 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Senior Mechanical Designer is responsible for creating effective mechanical designs for their company and developing mechanical concepts in accordance with project requirements. They assist the engineering manager in coaching other mechanical engineers to develop design skills.
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Senior mechanical designers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Mechanical Designer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $103,765 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $131,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Fort Bend County | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior mechanical designer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Mechanical Designer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior mechanical designers' and engineers' demographics:
| Senior Mechanical Designer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.1% Female, 5.9% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 11.4% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |