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The differences between stress engineers and mechanical design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a stress engineer, becoming a mechanical design engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a stress engineer has an average salary of $107,036, which is higher than the $75,821 average annual salary of a mechanical design engineer.
The top three skills for a stress engineer include finite element analysis, structural analysis and autocad. The most important skills for a mechanical design engineer are CAD, mechanical design, and GD.
| Stress Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,036 | $75,821 |
| Hourly rate | $51.46 | $36.45 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 36,117 | 120,258 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A stress engineer specializes in conducting analysis and assessments on structures and components, mainly using stress to test its structural integrity. They may work in various industries such as automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and even medical. Although their duties may vary upon the industry, they are typically in charge of performing extensive research and analysis, coordinating with architects and engineers, designing and building prototypes, and maintaining records of all procedures. Furthermore, a stress engineer must produce detailed progress and findings reports in adherence to project deadlines and company policies.
A mechanical design engineer specializes in designing various mechanical devices that will be vital in developing machinery or large structures. One of their primary responsibilities revolves around conducting thorough research and analysis, establishing layouts and prototypes, producing progress reports, and working alongside fellow engineers and skilled professionals. Typically assigned in an office setting, a mechanical design engineer must visit construction sites or factories to test and observe equipment qualities. Furthermore, during production, there are instances when a mechanical engineer must coordinate with suppliers, contractors, and clients.
Stress engineers and mechanical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Stress Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,036 | $75,821 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $156,000 | Between $59,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | CTS | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a stress engineer and a mechanical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Stress Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between stress engineers' and mechanical design engineers' demographics:
| Stress Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 19.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.4% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |