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The differences between civil engineers and professional 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 professional engineer. Additionally, a professional engineer has an average salary of $86,348, 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 professional engineer are civil engineering, project management, and PE.
| Civil Engineer | Professional Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,950 | $86,348 |
| Hourly rate | $34.11 | $41.51 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 26,803 | 74,009 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| 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 professional engineer specializes in designing and developing systems and structures through different principles. Although their duties will vary upon their industry of employment, it typically includes performing site assessments and examinations, studying the purpose and goals of the project, developing plans and guidelines, monitoring the progress of operations, and resolving issues and concerns promptly and efficiently. They may work together with architects and senior engineers, liaise with clients or contractors, and perform regular site inspections. Furthermore, a professional engineer must implement safety protocols and regulations to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
Civil engineers and professional engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Civil Engineer | Professional Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,950 | $86,348 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $97,000 | Between $63,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Bayer |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a civil engineer and a professional engineer in terms of educational background:
| Civil Engineer | Professional Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between civil engineers' and professional engineers' demographics:
| Civil Engineer | Professional Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| 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, 4.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 12.6% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |