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The differences between senior mechanical project engineers and 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 project engineer and a project engineer. Additionally, a senior mechanical project engineer has an average salary of $84,631, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for a senior mechanical project engineer include project management, CAD and solidworks. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,631 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $40.69 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 101,563 | 176,689 |
| 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.
A Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation. The Project Engineer will also recommend material, equipment, and the type of personnel needed. This position is integral in the smooth flow of any project, so hiring someone to hold this position will decide the success of a project.
Senior mechanical project engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,631 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $107,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | Washington |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a senior mechanical project engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Project 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 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior mechanical project engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| 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, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |