Test engine mechanic vs senior mechanical engineer

The differences between test engine mechanics and senior mechanical 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 test engine mechanic and a senior mechanical engineer. Additionally, a senior mechanical engineer has an average salary of $103,836, which is higher than the $78,505 average annual salary of a test engine mechanic.

The top three skills for a test engine mechanic include data acquisition, CAD and data analysis. The most important skills for a senior mechanical engineer are mechanical engineering, CAD, and solidworks.

Test engine mechanic vs senior mechanical engineer overview

	Test Engine Mechanic	Senior Mechanical Engineer
Yearly salary	$78,505	$103,836
Hourly rate	$37.74	$49.92
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	86,709	98,063
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 82%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	6	6

What does a test engine mechanic do?

The work of a Test Engine Mechanic involves testing the engine of vehicles. This means constantly lubricating necessary parts of the engine and replacing the spark plugs, for starters. You will also have to test and inspect the engine for any part that's malfunctioning. In cases where a replacement is required, your job is to source components that fit the specifications. Furthermore, you will need to reassemble and reinstall all components of the engines immediately after repairs. To wrap it up, you would also have to keep a record of every inspection, test results, and work done.

What does a senior mechanical engineer do?

A senior mechanical engineer is responsible for designing and improving mechanical equipment, as well as industrial devices and machinery. Senior mechanical engineers verify the materials and resources, ensuring that the processes meet the budget goals from clients' specifications and requirements. They also monitor the manufacturing process, developing strategic procedures for operations improvement, and maximizing staff productivity. A senior mechanical engineer runs multiple diagnostic tests to guarantee the stability and efficiency of the item and coordinating with the client for any plan adjustments as needed.

Test engine mechanic vs senior mechanical engineer salary

Test engine mechanics and senior mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Test Engine Mechanic	Senior Mechanical Engineer
Average salary	$78,505	$103,836
Salary range	Between $58,000 And $105,000	Between $79,000 And $136,000
Highest paying City	Foster City, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Washington
Best paying company	Apple	Google
Best paying industry	Retail	Energy

Differences between test engine mechanic and senior mechanical engineer education

There are a few differences between a test engine mechanic and a senior mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:

	Test Engine Mechanic	Senior Mechanical Engineer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 82%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common major	Mechanical Engineering	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	Michigan Technological University	Michigan Technological University

Test engine mechanic vs senior mechanical engineer demographics

Here are the differences between test engine mechanics' and senior mechanical engineers' demographics:

	Test Engine Mechanic	Senior Mechanical Engineer
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8%	Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 11.7% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 15.8% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between test engine mechanic and senior mechanical engineer duties and responsibilities

Test engine mechanic example responsibilities.

Programme and used LabVIEW to automate testing and perform data recording.
Stream-Line company design and prototyping activities and manage transitions between internal and subcontract manufacturing with clear, reference, design filing.
Evaluate the performance of the systems in the production environment then troubleshoot and correct any issues that are discover.
Develop a maintenance tool in Java that creates a report of outdate software on systems throughout the production environment.
Install instrumentation to gather data including: thermocouples, accelerometers, and pressure transducers.
Assist users in testing by working with Unix base environment.

Senior mechanical engineer example responsibilities.

Create DFMEA documents to help manage risks and improve initial quality.
Set up and manage PCB manufacturing including all chemical baths, lasers, and exposure equipment.
Restructure VHDL code and chip/module hierarchy to achieve timing goals for the dual cache controller and the chip.
Achieve timely convergence of complex designs by building RTL models from validation area and integrating them, before official model release.
Lead FPGA development of key digital communication component used in successful demonstration of spacecraft radio link.
Provide mechanical design and sustaining engineering expertise to troubleshoot manufacturing defect trends and achieve a more robust and producible product.

Test engine mechanic vs senior mechanical engineer skills

Common test engine mechanic skills

Data Acquisition, 11%
CAD, 8%
Data Analysis, 8%
Test Results, 7%
Test Procedures, 7%
LabVIEW, 6%

Common senior mechanical engineer skills

Mechanical Engineering, 15%
CAD, 7%
Solidworks, 7%
Mechanical Design, 5%
Mechanical Systems, 5%
HVAC, 4%

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Test Engine Mechanic vs Senior Mechanical Engineer

Updated January 8, 2025

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