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The differences between staff mechanical engineers and senior 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 senior engineer. Additionally, a staff mechanical engineer has an average salary of $108,997, which is higher than the $108,743 average annual salary of a senior engineer.
The top three skills for a staff mechanical engineer include CAD, mechanical design and solidworks. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $108,997 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $52.40 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 158,987 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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 senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Staff mechanical engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $108,997 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $144,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Rivian | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a staff mechanical engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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 senior engineers' demographics:
| Staff Mechanical Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |