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The differences between staff mechanical engineers and lead 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 staff mechanical engineer and a lead engineer. Additionally, a staff mechanical engineer has an average salary of $108,997, which is higher than the $84,927 average annual salary of a lead engineer.
The top three skills for a staff mechanical engineer include CAD, mechanical design and solidworks. The most important skills for a lead engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $108,997 | $84,927 |
| Hourly rate | $52.40 | $40.83 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 158,987 | 301,777 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A staff mechanical engineer designs and develops engines, tools, and machinery. Staff mechanical engineers create products like refrigerators, power tools, car engines, and turbines. They take part in cross-departmental and multi-functional design teams. They write handbooks, bulletins, and reports for use by department or staff. They have to lead project management from making ideas to launching the product. The skills they need to know to include mechanical design, product development, electrical systems, and detail orientation.
A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, assessing risks, monitoring the budget, coordinating with clients and architects, and even training workers. Furthermore, as a lead engineer, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work and maintain a safe environment for all workers.
Staff mechanical engineers and lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $108,997 | $84,927 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $144,000 | Between $60,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Rivian | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a staff mechanical engineer and a lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between staff mechanical engineers' and lead engineers' demographics:
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |