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The differences between staff mechanical engineers and principal 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 principal engineer. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $108,997 average annual salary of a staff mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a staff mechanical engineer include CAD, mechanical design and solidworks. The most important skills for a principal engineer are java, architecture, and python.
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $108,997 | $130,213 |
| Hourly rate | $52.40 | $62.60 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 158,987 | 312,683 |
| 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 principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Staff mechanical engineers and principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average salary | $108,997 | $130,213 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $144,000 | Between $95,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Rivian | Grubhub |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a staff mechanical engineer and a principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between staff mechanical engineers' and principal engineers' demographics:
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| 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, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |