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The differences between senior mechanical project engineers and tool 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 tool engineer. Additionally, a tool engineer has an average salary of $101,135, 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 tool engineer are python, java, and CAD.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,631 | $101,135 |
| Hourly rate | $40.69 | $48.62 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 101,563 | 98,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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 tooling engineer is responsible for creating and adjusting tools or parts for cars, heavy equipment, and other products that need customized or personalized components. Your duties and responsibilities will include creating design blueprints, using computer-aided (CAD) software to develop two- and three-dimensional prints, and validating and evaluating products. As a tooling engineer, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with operational standards such as the ISO 9000. You also have to provide technical assistance to manufacturing personnel and quality assurance.
Senior mechanical project engineers and tool engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,631 | $101,135 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $107,000 | Between $75,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | California |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior mechanical project engineer and a tool engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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 tool engineers' demographics:
| Senior Mechanical Project Engineer | Tool Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% | Male, 95.3% Female, 4.7% |
| 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, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |