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The differences between senior mechanical engineers and lead 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 engineer and a lead engineer. Additionally, a senior mechanical engineer has an average salary of $103,836, which is higher than the $84,927 average annual salary of a lead engineer.
The top three skills for a senior mechanical engineer include mechanical engineering, CAD and solidworks. The most important skills for a lead engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Senior Mechanical Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $103,836 | $84,927 |
| Hourly rate | $49.92 | $40.83 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 98,063 | 301,777 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, assessing risks, monitoring the budget, coordinating with clients and architects, and even training workers. Furthermore, as a lead engineer, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work and maintain a safe environment for all workers.
Senior mechanical engineers and lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Mechanical Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $103,836 | $84,927 |
| Salary range | Between $79,000 And $136,000 | Between $60,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior mechanical engineer and a lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Mechanical Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior mechanical engineers' and lead engineers' demographics:
| Senior Mechanical Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |