Mechanical vs Electrical Engineering: Difference and Comparison

Engineering is one of the most popular fields of profession. Engineering covers mathematical, scientific, social, economic, and functional domains which work towards making the world a better community for humans.

Key Takeaways

1. Mechanical engineering deals with designing, constructing, and maintaining mechanical systems and machines, while electrical engineering deals with studying and applying electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.
2. Mechanical engineers work with physical components like gears, engines, and structures, while electrical engineers work with electrical components like circuits, motors, and power systems.
3. Mechanical engineering has a wider scope and is more diverse than electrical engineering, including robotics, manufacturing, and aerospace. In contrast, electrical engineering has a narrower focus on electrical and electronic systems.

Mechanical Engineering vs Electrical Engineering

Mechanical engineering focuses on physical and power utilisation. Meanwhile, electrical engineering focuses on electrical utilisation, concentrating on generating electricity. Mechanical engineers focus on the machinery part, whereas Electrical engineers focus on power usage and power generation. 

Mechanical engineering is the most popular career field with a very high scope. It studies power applications of machines and heavy tools used to design, and it focuses on science’s mechanics and physical components.

Electrical engineering is another field of engineering which is populated by millions of engineers around the globe. Engineers in this department work with electrical systems, producing and examining them.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Mechanical Engineering	Electrical Engineering
Definition	Mechanical engineering is a part of the engineering field which deals with power applications.	On the other hand, electrical engineering is the study of energy and electrical fields and systems.
Focus	In the mechanical field, the engineer has to work with designing manufacturing processes of technical instruments.	In electrical engineering, the engineer learns about installing and manufacturing electrical systems.
Design	Mechanical engineering will focus on designing physical systems, including but not limited to conveyor belts, pulleys, and automobiles.	Electrical engineering will focus on creating complex designs like computer chips.
Salary	Mechanical engineers earn a lesser wage than electrical engineers do.	Engineers earn a higher salary than Mechanical engineers do.
Creative difference	Mechanical engineering is a field in which a person uses his ideas to design and maintain more effective products to improve living standards.	Electrical engineering is a field in which a person has to use his creativity and techniques to make the current systems safer and better and develop better ones.

What is Mechanical Engineering?

Mechanical engineering is the study of the most complex physical and mechanics. A mechanical engineer works on a product that enhances the living stability of the human race.

Mechanical engineers work in various fields such as automotive, aerospace, biotechnology, computers, electronics, micro-electro-mechanical systems, energy conversion, robotics and automation, and manufacturing.

Mechanical engineering is the department in which a person’s creative thinking helps them design a product after implementing their ideas. Mechanical engineering is a division of engineering that employs the laws of mechanics and substances science to study, plan, construct, and preserve automatic methods.

What is Electrical Engineering?

Electrical engineers propose, produce, analyse and control the production of electrical machinery, from electrical machines and navigating machines to energy production material and the electrical parts of carriers and personal devices.

Engineers work on electrical power generation and dissemination from cars to smartphones. Electrical engineers are essential elements of thousands of industries.

Engineers not only work on designing and maintaining electrical parts, but they also work on management and guiding the engineers as the field of electrical engineering is vast and electrical engineers also tend to act as project managers, which complies them to have management skills. 

Main Differences Between Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering

1. Mechanical engineering is a part of the engineering field which deals with power applications. Meanwhile, electrical engineering, on the other hand, is the study of energy and electrical fields and systems.
2. In the mechanical field, the engineer has to work with designing manufacturing processes of technical instruments, whereas, in electrical engineering, the engineer learns about installing and manufacturing electrical systems.
3. Mechanical engineering will focus on designing physical systems, including but not limited to conveyor belts, pulleys, and automobiles. Meanwhile, electrical engineering will focus on creating complex designs like computer chips. 
4. Although mechanical and Electrical engineering is highly overlapping, statistics prove that electrical engineers earn a higher salary than Mechanical engineers. 
5. Mechanical engineering is a field in which a person uses his ideas to design and maintain more effective products to improve living standards. Meanwhile, Electrical engineering is a field in which a person has to use his creativity and techniques to make the current systems safer and better and develop better ones.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166497200000912
2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2010.tb01042.x