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The differences between civil engineers and architectural 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 engineer and an architectural engineer. Additionally, an architectural engineer has an average salary of $105,163, which is higher than the $70,950 average annual salary of a civil engineer.
The top three skills for a civil engineer include civil 3d, engineering design and cost estimates. The most important skills for an architectural engineer are python, C++, and revit.
| Civil Engineer | Architectural Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,950 | $105,163 |
| Hourly rate | $34.11 | $50.56 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 26,803 | 54,845 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A civil engineer designs and supervises the construction of large-scale public works projects such as buildings, roads, tunnels, highways, airports, bridges, dams, and other substantial infrastructure. Most civil engineers work in the private industry, but some work for a government organization. Their output is almost everywhere. Many of them specialize in a specific project or practice a target profession such as in transportation, structural engineering, or geotechnical engineering. They oftentimes work at project sites, as they monitor the ongoing construction.
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.
Civil engineers and architectural engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Civil Engineer | Architectural Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,950 | $105,163 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $97,000 | Between $70,000 And $157,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a civil engineer and an architectural engineer in terms of educational background:
| Civil Engineer | Architectural Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Architecture |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo |
Here are the differences between civil engineers' and architectural engineers' demographics:
| Civil Engineer | Architectural Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 15.6% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |