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The differences between structural design engineers and mechanical design 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 structural design engineer and a mechanical design engineer. Additionally, a mechanical design engineer has an average salary of $75,821, which is higher than the $75,662 average annual salary of a structural design engineer.
The top three skills for a structural design engineer include structural design, CAD and autocad. The most important skills for a mechanical design engineer are CAD, mechanical design, and GD.
| Structural Design Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,662 | $75,821 |
| Hourly rate | $36.38 | $36.45 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 57,187 | 120,258 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Structural Design Engineer designs drawings, specifications, and computer models of structures for building contractors. They help design hospitals, office blocks, houses, bridges, ships, and other structures.
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.
Structural design engineers and mechanical design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Structural Design Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,662 | $75,821 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $104,000 | Between $59,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a structural design engineer and a mechanical design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Structural Design Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between structural design engineers' and mechanical design engineers' demographics:
| Structural Design Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.3% White, 64.1% 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 | 5% | 5% |