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The differences between senior mechanical project engineers and senior 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 senior engineer. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, 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 senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,631 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $40.69 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 101,563 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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 senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Senior mechanical project engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,631 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $107,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | California |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a senior mechanical project engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior mechanical project engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |