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The differences between bridge design engineers and civil designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a bridge design engineer and a civil designer. Additionally, a bridge design engineer has an average salary of $70,594, which is higher than the $58,421 average annual salary of a civil designer.
The top three skills for a bridge design engineer include civil engineering, CAD and structural design. The most important skills for a civil designer are civil 3d, autocad, and civil engineering.
| Bridge Design Engineer | Civil Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,594 | $58,421 |
| Hourly rate | $33.94 | $28.09 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 47,376 | 57,036 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A bridge design engineer plans and oversees bridge development projects. Through their expertise, a bridge design engineer creates structural designs for building or restoring bridges, developing guidelines for structural repairs, preparing drafts according to project requirements, and providing technical support to different teams. They meet with clients or representatives to discuss requirements, specifications, and cost estimates. They may also answer inquiries and recommend other options, revising drafts when necessary. Moreover, as a bridge design engineer, they are responsible for managing and overseeing staff while implementing project standards and regulations.
A Civil Designer plans, scales, and drafts drawings and maps for roads, bridges, and other construction projects. They work with engineers and project managers in determining material, labor, and other costs of the assigned projects.
Bridge design engineers and civil designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Bridge Design Engineer | Civil Designer | |
| Average salary | $70,594 | $58,421 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $89,000 | Between $41,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Walnut Creek, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | CnS | Parsons |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Construction |
There are a few differences between a bridge design engineer and a civil designer in terms of educational background:
| Bridge Design Engineer | Civil Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between bridge design engineers' and civil designers' demographics:
| Bridge Design Engineer | Civil Designer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.3% Female, 16.7% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 17.8% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |