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The differences between senior mechanical project engineers and mechanical design 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 project engineer and a mechanical design engineer. Additionally, a senior mechanical project engineer has an average salary of $84,631, which is higher than the $75,821 average annual salary of a mechanical design engineer.
The top three skills for a senior mechanical project engineer include project management, CAD and solidworks. The most important skills for a mechanical design engineer are CAD, mechanical design, and GD.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,631 | $75,821 |
| Hourly rate | $40.69 | $36.45 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 101,563 | 120,258 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A senior mechanical project engineer designs, researches, builds, tests, and improves systems, equipment, electrical devices, and mechanical devices. They design various machines such as engines, turbines, and generators using CAD software. They develop design prototypes, allocate time and resources as needed, and evaluate data to create reports. These professionals communicate with clients, directors, and staff and attend meetings to provide inputs and updates. Moreover, senior mechanical project engineers deliver safe and useful products within budget and on time.
A mechanical design engineer specializes in designing various mechanical devices that will be vital in developing machinery or large structures. One of their primary responsibilities revolves around conducting thorough research and analysis, establishing layouts and prototypes, producing progress reports, and working alongside fellow engineers and skilled professionals. Typically assigned in an office setting, a mechanical design engineer must visit construction sites or factories to test and observe equipment qualities. Furthermore, during production, there are instances when a mechanical engineer must coordinate with suppliers, contractors, and clients.
Senior mechanical project engineers and mechanical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,631 | $75,821 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $107,000 | Between $59,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | California |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior mechanical project engineer and a mechanical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior mechanical project engineers' and mechanical design engineers' demographics:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 15.0% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.4% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |