Engineers are more focused on solving problems, while technicians are more focused on implementing the necessary changes required to solve the problem. Engineers often make a higher salary than technicians due to their higher level of education.

Technicians test any designs created by mechanical engineers to ensure they are safe, reliable, and used properly. While a mechanical engineer needs a bachelor's degree in engineering, a mechanical technician only needs a high school diploma or associate degree and relevant technical certificates.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $179,406 and as low as $49,027, the majority of Mechanical Engineering Technology salaries currently range between $87,800 (25th percentile) to $136,300 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $150,851 annually in Los Angeles.

An Engineer designs the equipment. The Technologist figures out how to get it built. Technicians work on and fix the equipment.