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The differences between bridge design 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 a bridge design engineer and a structural designer. Additionally, a bridge design engineer has an average salary of $70,594, which is higher than the $63,273 average annual salary of a structural designer.
The top three skills for a bridge design engineer include civil engineering, CAD and structural design. The most important skills for a structural designer are revit, structural design, and BIM.
| Bridge Design Engineer | Structural Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,594 | $63,273 |
| Hourly rate | $33.94 | $30.42 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 47,376 | 51,432 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| 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 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.
Bridge design engineers and structural designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Bridge Design Engineer | Structural Designer | |
| Average salary | $70,594 | $63,273 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $89,000 | Between $47,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | CnS | Tesla |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Construction |
There are a few differences between a bridge design engineer and a structural designer in terms of educational background:
| Bridge Design Engineer | Structural Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| 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 structural designers' demographics:
| Bridge Design Engineer | Structural Designer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.3% Female, 16.7% | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% |
| 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, 4.0% 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% |