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The differences between weapons engineers and 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 weapons engineer and a mechanical engineer. Additionally, a weapons engineer has an average salary of $99,077, which is higher than the $75,352 average annual salary of a mechanical engineer.
The top three skills for a weapons engineer include engineering support, electrical systems and ammunition. The most important skills for a mechanical engineer are CAD, solidworks, and mechanical systems.
| Weapons Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $99,077 | $75,352 |
| Hourly rate | $47.63 | $36.23 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 85,352 | 105,618 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A weapons engineer is responsible for developing, testing, and managing weapons systems on behalf of a government organization. They may work as an electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, nuclear engineer, chemical engineer, or aerospace engineer. They specialize in developing weapon technologies and national security technologies. A university degree is required to work as a weapons engineer in any defense organization.
Mechanical Engineers oversee the development of various mechanical devices in different industries. Most of the responsibilities will revolve around crafting, improving, or designing technologies by utilizing extensive expertise in the subject; they identify and detect errors, provide in-depth analysis, and resolve issues. They are often in designated offices, but they can also work on-site and travel if necessary. Furthermore, Mechanical Engineers usually function in a group or team setting, often supervised by personnel in higher positions.
Weapons engineers and mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Weapons Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $99,077 | $75,352 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $150,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a weapons engineer and a mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Weapons Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between weapons engineers' and mechanical engineers' demographics:
| Weapons Engineer | Mechanical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% Asian, 11.1% White, 75.1% 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, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |