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The differences between senior mechanical project engineers and senior product 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 product engineer. Additionally, a senior product engineer has an average salary of $101,685, 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 product engineer are java, product engineering, and continuous improvement.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Senior Product Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,631 | $101,685 |
| Hourly rate | $40.69 | $48.89 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 101,563 | 145,781 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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 product engineer specializes in optimizing product designs and manufacturing procedures, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They are typically in charge of performing market research and analysis, utilizing the results as a basis in designing new products and upgrading existing designs. Moreover, they coordinate with product development teams to cultivate ideas, develop prototypes and test structures, and oversee the material selection that will make the products possible. As a senior product engineer, it is essential to monitor the entire progress and lead the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Senior mechanical project engineers and senior product engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Senior Product Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,631 | $101,685 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $107,000 | Between $78,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Mountain View, CA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | California |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Cloudflare |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior mechanical project engineer and a senior product engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Senior Product Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between senior mechanical project engineers' and senior product engineers' demographics:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Senior Product Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% | Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8% |
| 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, 17.2% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |