Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between senior mechanical project engineers and 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 mechanical project engineer and a mechanical engineer. Additionally, a senior mechanical project engineer has an average salary of $84,631, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a senior mechanical project engineer include project management, CAD and solidworks. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,631 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $40.69 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 101,563 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| 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.
Mechanical Engineers oversee the development of various mechanical devices in different industries. Most of the responsibilities will revolve around crafting, improving, or designing technologies by utilizing extensive expertise in the subject; they identify and detect errors, provide in-depth analysis, and resolve issues. They are often in designated offices, but they can also work on-site and travel if necessary. Furthermore, Mechanical Engineers usually function in a group or team setting, often supervised by personnel in higher positions.
Senior mechanical project engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,631 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $107,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | Washington |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a senior mechanical project engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| 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 engineers' demographics:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |