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The differences between senior mechanical designers and senior project 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 a senior project engineer. Additionally, a senior mechanical designer has an average salary of $103,765, which is higher than the $97,803 average annual salary of a senior project engineer.
The top three skills for a senior mechanical designer include CAD, mechanical design and GD. The most important skills for a senior project engineer are project management, construction management, and CAD.
| Senior Mechanical Designer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $103,765 | $97,803 |
| Hourly rate | $49.89 | $47.02 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 71,958 | 146,838 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| 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.
A senior project engineer is responsible for monitoring the project team's overall process and operations from conceptualization until completion, ensuring the adherence to the clients' specifications, within the budget's goals, and the required deadline. Senior project engineers regularly communicate with the client regarding updates or necessary adjustments. They develop strategic procedures to finish the project efficiently by running diagnostic tests and troubleshooting discrepancies. A senior project engineer must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the team's performance and provide assistance when necessary.
Senior mechanical designers and senior project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Mechanical Designer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $103,765 | $97,803 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $131,000 | Between $77,000 And $124,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Amazon | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior mechanical designer and a senior project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Mechanical Designer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| 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 senior project engineers' demographics:
| Senior Mechanical Designer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.1% Female, 5.9% | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 14.8% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |