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The differences between senior mechanical project engineers and project engineering managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a senior mechanical project engineer, becoming a project engineering manager takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, a project engineering manager has an average salary of $110,534, which is higher than the $84,631 average annual salary of a senior mechanical 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 engineering manager are project management, project scope, and engineering design.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Project Engineering Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $84,631 | $110,534 |
| Hourly rate | $40.69 | $53.14 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 101,563 | 171,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 41 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 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 engineering manager's job is to oversee engineering projects in diverse industries, including transportation, software development, and utility industries. They are responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of intricate designs and evaluating and approving changes that may affect the scope, budget, and completion of a project. They also perform other essential tasks, including monitoring the project's progress and performance, developing maintenance plans, and preparing expenditure reports. Project engineering managers are also expected to resolve any issues that may arise from operations.
Senior mechanical project engineers and project engineering managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Project Engineering Manager | |
| Average salary | $84,631 | $110,534 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $107,000 | Between $79,000 And $153,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | California |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior mechanical project engineer and a project engineering manager in terms of educational background:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Project Engineering Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between senior mechanical project engineers' and project engineering managers' demographics:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Project Engineering Manager | |
| Average age | 41 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% |
| 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, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 12.0% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 9% |