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The differences between civil engineers 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 engineer and a geotechnical engineer. Additionally, a geotechnical engineer has an average salary of $74,831, 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 a geotechnical engineer are geotechnical, civil engineering, and project management.
| Civil Engineer | Geotechnical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,950 | $74,831 |
| Hourly rate | $34.11 | $35.98 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 26,803 | 15,062 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| 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.
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 engineers and geotechnical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Civil Engineer | Geotechnical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,950 | $74,831 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $97,000 | Between $56,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a civil engineer and a geotechnical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Civil Engineer | Geotechnical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between civil engineers' and geotechnical engineers' demographics:
| Civil Engineer | Geotechnical Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 82.8% Female, 17.2% |
| 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, 3.5% 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% |