Engineering as a course requires a lot of creativity. Choosing what engineering to specialize in can be a difficult task, especially if you love designing objects and fixing broken wires. However, this article carefully Xrays mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. You should be able to choose one after reading this piece.
Both mechanical engineering and electrical share a lot in common. Even though they both take separate academic paths to become one, they still share a lot of creativity, skills, and even courses in common.
You are probably wondering why they are not offered as one program then. Because mechanical engineers and electrical engineer have one or two educational needs in common, many differences still exist among them.
Particularly, this article will analyze the similarities between both professions, and the differences. A glance at the table of contents below will show how much information embedded in this article reveals both professions are exceptional in their respective ways.
What Is Mechanical Engineering?
There are absolute quite several definitions of mechanical engineering. This article will give a variety of definitions alongside job descriptions to aid you in visualizing what a mechanical engineering program is.
First, mechanical engineering refers to one of the broadest engineering disciplines. It refers to a particular specialization in engineering that involves a lifetime cycle of work and rewards. Mechanical engineering is the branch of engineering that applies the principles of engineering to the design and construction of machines and their parts.
Individuals who complete a four-year degree program in mechanical engineering are called mechanical engineers. These students graduate to become mech engineers who can deal with anything that moves from components to machines to the human body.
What Do Mechanical Engineers Do?
Mechanical Engineers, are involved in providing daily products. They are found in different companies and enterprises, contributing their quota to the growth of society.
Basically, Mech Engineers harness their skills to produce new and improved machines and tools. They can work in an office as facility manager consultants, ensuring the machines’ repairs when they break down.
However, most mechanical engineers travel and work closely with architects, where they contribute their skills to manufacturing and research careers. In detail, below is an analysis of a typical role for a mechanical engineer:
Job Description of a Mechanical Engineer
Generally, the basic responsibility of mechanical engineers in any company is usually to properly research, design, develop, build, and test the different mechanical aspects of devices and sensors. Other roles may include the following:
- Analyzing several problems to check thermal and mechanical devices.
- Finding out the best way to solve these problems to fix the devices.
- Aiding in creating designs that help the mechanical and thermal systems and subsystems.
- Using an analytical approach with CAD to create designs.
- Creating, developing, and testing different prototypes of devices.
- Investing in the diagnosis of equipment failure and solving them with the help of tools and techniques
- Analyzing the test results and changing design or any system.
- Supervising the entire process of manufacturing any product.
What is Electrical Engineering?
Similar to mechanical engineering, different definitions, and explanations exist. However, this article will proffer a detailed job description for electrical engineers to clarify what electrical engineering entails.
Basically, the field of engineering that specializes in the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics and electromagnetism is called electrical engineering.
This branch of engineering deals with heavy current, that is, electric light and power systems alongside apparatuses. Also, this branch of engineering covers a wide range of sub-disciplines like computer engineering, power engineering, telecommunications, radio-frequency engineering and so many others.
Graduates from an electrical engineering program are known as electrical engineers and they mainly focus on large-scale production and distribution of electrical power.
What Do Electrical Engineers Do?
Electrical engineers who have completed at least four years of formal learning can work in a wide range of industries, and what they do may vary.
Though their job description captures employing their skills to circuit theory or using their management skills for project management.
Electrical engineers may need a simple voltmeter to perform a simple task or a top end analyzer for sophisticated design and manufacturing software.
Electrical engineers have the responsibility of designing and developing alongside testing of different processes that work in the manufacturing of any electrical equipment. Below is a detailed job description for an electrical engineer.
Job Description of an Electrical Engineer
Basically, the role or responsibility of electrical engineers revolves around designing of several electrical systems that work in automobiles and aircraft systems as well.
Mainly, they concentrate on developing and installing the electric equipment which is provided in the communication and broadcast systems such as portable music players, GPA systems, and other options.
Other job roles of an electrical engineer may include:
- Aiding in the development and improvement of several electrical products with the help of new leases that they create
- Performing detailed calculations to develop, manufacture, install, and construct different specifications and standards all according to the different requirements
- Supervising the installation, testing, and manufacturing of the different electrical equipment so that the products that are designed are all meeting the specifications and standards that are mentioned by the clients
- Analyzing all the complaints and queries of the customers to make the diagnosis of the problems vanish and providing solutions that help in troubleshooting these problems
- Collaborating with different project managers in the efforts of production so that the products that are created are being completely run and tested before being provided to the clients and customers
What Is The Difference Between Mechanical and Electrical Engineering?
Like earlier stated, mechanical engineers have different job roles from electrical engineers. While both are branches of engineering, the differences between these two engineering programs will be ascertained by comparing the job outlook, salary of each profession, best schools for each, and highest employers of each profession.
Electrical Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering: Program Curriculum
Basically, both are usually offered by the college of engineering of most schools. As branches of a broad discipline like engineering, students may share two or more courses during this program.
However, the electrical engineering program curriculum covers a broad practical and theoretical knowledge. The program curriculum is usually designed as a ‘feeder’ degree for students who cannot figure out the specifics of their careers.
Students will take courses that cover physical science, engineering, mathematics, and oral and written communications. Students who graduate from an electrical engineering program have the right knowledge and skill to pursue a career in any sector of design and research, sales, management, teaching, and others.
In fact, generation, transmission, and distribution of power, communications, manufacture, and design of semiconductor devices are some of the most defining career paths for students in the electrical engineering program.
The mechanical engineering curriculum is designed to teach students design, manufacture, analyze, and test different mechanical systems and components that work together.
Mechanical engineering is diverse and all-encompassing. This is mainly because of its essentiality for all different modern-day industries.
Hence, the curriculum is designed to allow students to choose major areas of concentration from energy conversion, design engineering, materials engineering, and manufacturing engineering.
Conceptual product design, engineering sciences, and manufacturing capabilities to create effective, affordable, and quality products for people are some of the diverse courses students in mechanical engineering will take.
Mechanical Engineers vs Electrical Engineers: Job Outlook
Generally, job descriptions of these two professionals show that their services are needed in any company.
According to BLS.GOV, mechanical engineers have a projected job growth rate of 5% while electrical engineers will grow by 2 percent between 2018-2028. This may seem low but a sign that the services of these professions are actually needed.
So, if you attend a good school and know your onions, you will be among the 2 percent who will get a job upon graduation.
What You Can Do with a Mechanical Engineering Degree?
With a mechanical engineering degree, students, upon graduation, can work as the following in any industry:
- Auto Research Engineers
- Heating and cooling systems engineer
- Robotics engineers
What You Can Do with an Electrical Engineering Degree?
An electrical engineering degree from an accredited institution will allow students who graduate successfully to work as:
- Energy System Engineers
- Signal Processing Engineers
- Telecommunications Engineers
Mechanical Engineering vs Electrical Engineering Salary
According to a report by Forbes, research carried out on 10 States where Electrical Engineers earn the Most Money shows that the national average annual wage of an electrical engineer is $101,600.
BLS posits that electrical engineers’ annual salary is about $99,580 while career explorer data analysis suggests an average yearly salary of $96,640 for electrical engineers.
On the other hand, mechanical engineers according to Forbes study show that $92,800 is the annual take-home salary in 10 states where mechanical engineers were paid highest.
Apparently, while mechanical engineering offers more job opportunities, electrical engineering pays higher.
What are the Best Schools for Mechanical Engineering vs Electrical Engineering?
Another specific difference between mechanical engineering and electrical engineering is the best schools for each program.
Basically, there are millions of schools out there offering these engineering programs. But, attending the best school for each can increase your job search and employment rates.
If you have discovered the right engineering program for you and are wondering where to get the best academic learning experience, click any of the buttons below to review the best schools for each. On the buttons. ME stands for mechanical engineering, whereas EE stands for electrical engineer.
Mechanical Engineering vs Electrical Engineering: Which is Harder?
Factors like determination, career choice, and interest will determine which is harder for you. Basically, a recent study from one of the Ivy League schools posits that engineering generally is one of the hardest courses to study.
For Electrical, you would need excellent math skills to succeed. Hence, it is considered one of the hardest majors in the engineering field.
Similarities between Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering
As stated earlier mechanical engineering and electrical share some similarities. Mechanical and electrical engineering share similarities in the following:
Both professions demand students to complete a training in an accredited university. Depending on your locality, both degree programs must be accredited regionally alongside Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
To become a mechanical engineer or an electrical engineer, students must spend at least four years in an accredited university’s college of engineering faculty. Interestingly, there are online mechanical engineering programs and electrical engineering programs for distance students.
In addition, irrespective of which engineering program you settle for, you will take courses in, Engineering in the Global Environment, Introduction to Systems Engineering, Principles of Engineering Management, and Technology Innovation and Strategy for Engineers.
Graduating from an accredited engineering college as a mechanical engineer or electrical engineer is the first step to many amazing job opportunities to apply to. Both engineering fields is essential in all sectors of the economy. This means students may always find a job upon graduation.
Conclusion
Engineering as a degree program and profession is though hard but very lucrative. It is home to many sub-disciplines. Choosing which field to settle may become a hard discussion.
Hence, this article on mechanical engineering vs electrical engineering Xrays the differences and similarities between the two professions. You should read this article to choose which of these professions best suits you.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_engineering
- https://www.quora.com/Which-is-better-mechanical-or-electrical-engineering
- https://engineeringonline.ucr.edu/blog/electrical-vs-mechanical-engineering/
- https://study.com/articles/electrical_engineer_vs_mechanical_engineer.html
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