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The differences between civil engineers and electrical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a civil engineer, becoming an electrical engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an electrical engineer has an average salary of $81,026, 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 electrical engineer are autocad, electrical systems, and UL.
| Civil Engineer | Electrical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,950 | $81,026 |
| Hourly rate | $34.11 | $38.95 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 26,803 | 68,536 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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.
Electrical engineers are responsible for designing and developing new electrical systems, solving issues, and testing equipment. They work on various technologies, including telecommunication systems, satellite communications, and electrical power stations. Electrical engineers study and apply the mathematics and physics of electromagnetism, electronics, and electricity to small and large-scale electrical systems to transmit energy and process information. They often work with all types of electronic devices, such as supercomputers and power transmission. They also work in the emerging field of microelectronics.
Civil engineers and electrical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Civil Engineer | Electrical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,950 | $81,026 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $97,000 | Between $59,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redmond, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Technology |
There are a few differences between a civil engineer and an electrical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Civil Engineer | Electrical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between civil engineers' and electrical engineers' demographics:
| Civil Engineer | Electrical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% |
| 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, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 16.2% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |