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The differences between building engineers and engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a building engineer, becoming an engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an engineer has an average salary of $92,077, which is higher than the $76,446 average annual salary of a building engineer.
The top three skills for a building engineer include HVAC, ladders and plumbing. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Building Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $76,446 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $36.75 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 13,440 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 47 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
The job of building engineers is to provide advice on design, installation, and maintenance of energy-efficient and cost-effective systems for all building services, including lighting, water, and air conditioning. These professionals are responsible for the distribution of water supply and electricity and resolving tenants' maintenance problems such as plumbing and electrical systems. Additional duties of the building engineers include conducting tests on systems, ensuring compliance with health and safety requirements, and liaising with construction professionals like surveyors and electricians.
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Building engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Building Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $76,446 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $116,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Apple | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a building engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Building Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Heating And Air Conditioning | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between building engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Building Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 47 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 4.5% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 5% |