Quality Engineer vs. Mechanical Engineer: What Are the Differences?

Quality engineers and mechanical engineers are both important positions in many industries. If you’re interested in a career in engineering, it’s helpful to understand the similarities and differences between these two positions. In this article, we provide an overview of quality engineering and mechanical engineering, including a comparison of the two fields. We also discuss the education and skills you’ll need for each position and offer tips for choosing the right career path.

What is a Quality Engineer?

A Quality Engineer is responsible for ensuring that products meet or exceed customer expectations and company standards. They develop quality assurance plans and test procedures to be implemented throughout the product development cycle. Quality Engineers work with suppliers to ensure that materials meet specifications and with manufacturing staff to resolve production issues. They also train other employees on quality control procedures. Quality Engineers typically have a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field.

What is a Mechanical Engineer?

Mechanical Engineers design, develop, build and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices, including tools, engines and machines. They may work in a variety of industries, such as the automotive or aerospace industry. Mechanical Engineers typically have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Some Mechanical Engineers may choose to specialize in a particular area, such as designing heating and cooling systems or working with robotics.

Quality Engineer vs. Mechanical Engineer

Here are the main differences between a quality engineer and a mechanical engineer.

Job Duties

Quality engineers have a lot of responsibilities related to ensuring products are up to standard. They might perform testing or analysis, then communicate findings and recommend solutions to improve the quality of a product. Mechanical engineers often design products, so their job duties center around creating innovative solutions that help people in their industry. They might develop blueprints, sketches or CAD drawings and use these tools to guide the creation of a new product. Additionally, both professions may manage teams, depending on the size of the company or project.

Job Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering is the minimum educational requirement for quality engineers. However, many employers prefer candidates who have a master’s degree or higher. Quality engineers must also be able to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam before they can become licensed professional engineers (PEs). In order to take the FE exam, candidates must first earn a bachelor’s degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program.

Mechanical engineers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree to enter the field. Some employers may prefer candidates with a master’s degree or higher. Mechanical engineers must also be able to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam before they can become licensed professional engineers (PEs). In order to take the FE exam, candidates must first earn a bachelor’s degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program.

Work Environment

Mechanical engineers typically work in manufacturing or construction environments. They may spend their days working on the floor of a factory, where they can observe and test machinery to ensure it’s operating correctly. Mechanical engineers also often travel to different job sites to oversee projects and collaborate with other professionals.

Quality engineers usually work in offices, but they may visit clients’ facilities to evaluate products and processes. They may also perform some fieldwork, such as observing production lines to identify potential issues.

Skills

Both quality engineers and mechanical engineers need to have problem-solving skills. Quality engineers often are tasked with identifying issues with products and developing solutions to address those issues, while mechanical engineers typically design products that solve a problem or meet a need.

Both of these professionals also need technical skills. Quality engineers may use statistical analysis and other quality control tools to assess whether products meet standards, while mechanical engineers may utilize computer-aided design (CAD) software to create models and prototypes of their products.

Quality engineers need to be able to communicate effectively in order to share their findings with colleagues, managers and clients. They also need to be detail-oriented in order to catch errors and identify potential areas for improvement. Mechanical engineers also need to be able to communicate well, as they often work on teams with other engineers and need to be able to explain their designs. Additionally, mechanical engineers need to be creative in order to develop new and innovative products.

Salary

Mechanical engineers earn an average salary of $91,492 per year, while quality engineers earn an average salary of $74,282 per year. Both of these average salaries may vary depending on the size of the company at which you work, location of your job and the level of experience you have prior to pursuing either position.