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The differences between architectural engineers and structural designers 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 designer. Additionally, an architectural engineer has an average salary of $105,163, which is higher than the $63,273 average annual salary of a structural designer.
The top three skills for an architectural engineer include python, C++ and revit. The most important skills for a structural designer are revit, structural design, and BIM.
| Architectural Engineer | Structural Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $105,163 | $63,273 |
| Hourly rate | $50.56 | $30.42 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 54,845 | 51,432 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| 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 Designer designs, develops, and supervises the construction of new buildings and bridges, or extensions to existing properties or other structures. They review and update construction drawings as well as communicate project problems and flaws to managers.
Architectural engineers and structural designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Architectural Engineer | Structural Designer | |
| Average salary | $105,163 | $63,273 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $157,000 | Between $47,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Tesla |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Construction |
There are a few differences between an architectural engineer and a structural designer in terms of educational background:
| Architectural Engineer | Structural Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Architecture | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between architectural engineers' and structural designers' demographics:
| Architectural Engineer | Structural Designer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% |
| 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, 4.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 12.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |