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The differences between civil designers and geotechnical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a civil designer and a geotechnical engineer. Additionally, a geotechnical engineer has an average salary of $74,831, which is higher than the $58,421 average annual salary of a civil designer.
The top three skills for a civil designer include civil 3d, autocad and civil engineering. The most important skills for a geotechnical engineer are geotechnical, civil engineering, and project management.
| Civil Designer | Geotechnical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $58,421 | $74,831 |
| Hourly rate | $28.09 | $35.98 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 57,036 | 15,062 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
A Geotechnical Engineer plans and designs the structures for buildings, roads, embankments, canals, and other construction projects. They provide advice to civil and structural engineers, architects, and construction personnel.
Civil designers and geotechnical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Civil Designer | Geotechnical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $58,421 | $74,831 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $81,000 | Between $56,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Walnut Creek, CA | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Parsons | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a civil designer and a geotechnical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Civil Designer | Geotechnical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between civil designers' and geotechnical engineers' demographics:
| Civil Designer | Geotechnical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% | Male, 82.8% Female, 17.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.0% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |