Compare A Mechanical Engineer ↔ B Principal Facilities Engineer (Electrical)

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Your route

3 moves

No pay difference shown for this route: no single published pay schedule names every stop, and the occupation medians are not like for like on every move.

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Facilities Engineer (Electrical): experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common).
Move 2, to Senior Facilities Engineer (Electrical): no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
Move 3, to Principal Facilities Engineer (Electrical): no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Mechanical Engineer to Facilities Engineer (Electrical)
- O*NET lists Electrical Engineers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.90.
- Gates: experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common).
- Skills to build: Writing, Speaking
Move 2 I1 step up on Semiconductor fab facilities (electrical)
Facilities Engineer (Electrical) to Senior Facilities Engineer (Electrical)
- Next rung on 'Semiconductor fab facilities (electrical)' (Skilled to Senior).
- Gates checked: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
Move 3 I1 step up on Semiconductor fab facilities (electrical)
Senior Facilities Engineer (Electrical) to Principal Facilities Engineer (Electrical)
- Next rung on 'Semiconductor fab facilities (electrical)' (Senior to Senior).
- Gates checked: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).

Side by side

All Electrical Engineers: Texas median $129,450, $17,040 more a year than all Mechanical Engineers ($112,410), every experience level.

More than 40 hours a week: Principal Facilities Engineer (Electrical) 58%, Mechanical Engineer 45%.

This level's pay

A $99,206 a year H-1B filings, n = 157, TX+AZ, 2026

B No headline record for this level

No published schedule lists both jobs, so no level-specific difference is shown.

Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k

$112,410+$17,040$129,450

Gates on the route: Facilities Engineer (Electrical): experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +18.6% Texas, 1,350 openings a year

B +14.0% Texas, 1,060 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

45%+13 pts58%

Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first

1.8 / 5+0.22.0 / 5

Very hot or cold+0.56Very hot or cold: A 1.83, B 2.39
Hazardous conditions+0.49Hazardous conditions: A 1.75, B 2.24
Protective gear+0.34Protective gear: A 1.23, B 1.57
Outdoors, all weather+0.25Outdoors, all weather: A 1.96, B 2.21
Cramped space+0.22Cramped space: A 1.79, B 2.01

Degree

A Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 53%).

B Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 89%).

License

A Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work.

B Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work.

Experience

A Most common related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 24%).

B Most common related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET: 30%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Complex Problem Solving
Monitoring
Mathematics

To build: 2

Writing +0.74
Speaking +0.50

Make this your goal

Save Mechanical Engineer to Principal Facilities Engineer (Electrical) as your goal. Each step then shows the hours you have logged toward it, your exam practice and your license, with the one thing to do next and the 2 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.