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The differences between civil engineers and software 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 a software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software engineer has an average salary of $100,260, 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 software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Civil Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,950 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $34.11 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 26,803 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
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 software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Civil engineers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Civil Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,950 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $97,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a civil engineer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Civil Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between civil engineers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Civil Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |