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The differences between staff mechanical engineers and mechanical designers 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 mechanical designer. Additionally, a staff mechanical engineer has an average salary of $108,997, which is higher than the $62,541 average annual salary of a mechanical designer.
The top three skills for a staff mechanical engineer include CAD, mechanical design and solidworks. The most important skills for a mechanical designer are mechanical design, revit, and auto cad.
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Mechanical Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $108,997 | $62,541 |
| Hourly rate | $52.40 | $30.07 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 158,987 | 65,748 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| 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 mechanical designer is responsible for designing mechanical equipment and devices, together with the engineers and other technology professionals. Mechanical designers create layouts following the clients' specifications, perform structural analysis, and analyze dimensions to ensure quality. They also inspect overall equipment performance and recommend adjustments as needed to improve its quality and boost optimization. Mechanical designers assist with installation and system upgrades, respond with the clients' inquiries and concerns, and escalate it to the appropriate personnel for resolution. A mechanical designer must have a strong knowledge of the mechanical and technology industry to build designs according to the highest standards.
Staff mechanical engineers and mechanical designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Mechanical Designer | |
| Average salary | $108,997 | $62,541 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $144,000 | Between $46,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Rivian | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a staff mechanical engineer and a mechanical designer in terms of educational background:
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Mechanical Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between staff mechanical engineers' and mechanical designers' demographics:
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Mechanical Designer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| 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, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 10.5% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |