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The differences between architectural engineers and structural design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an architectural engineer and a structural design engineer. Additionally, an architectural engineer has an average salary of $105,163, which is higher than the $75,662 average annual salary of a structural design engineer.
The top three skills for an architectural engineer include python, C++ and revit. The most important skills for a structural design engineer are structural design, CAD, and autocad.
| Architectural Engineer | Structural Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $105,163 | $75,662 |
| Hourly rate | $50.56 | $36.38 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 54,845 | 57,187 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Architectural engineers are engineering professionals who design buildings that enhance the standard of living and improve the quality of life by applying science and technology to the real world. These engineers are required to collaborate with architects to evaluate prototypes used for buildings or systems construction and provide recommendations on how to comply with codes and safety standards. They must analyst sketches, blueprints, and models to identify issues related to the environment, acoustics, and safety. Architectural engineers must also ensure that building constructions are following government regulations and acts.
A Structural Design Engineer designs drawings, specifications, and computer models of structures for building contractors. They help design hospitals, office blocks, houses, bridges, ships, and other structures.
Architectural engineers and structural design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Architectural Engineer | Structural Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $105,163 | $75,662 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $157,000 | Between $54,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an architectural engineer and a structural design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Architectural Engineer | Structural Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Architecture | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between architectural engineers' and structural design engineers' demographics:
| Architectural Engineer | Structural Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 15.1% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.3% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |