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The differences between civil engineers and urban planners 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 urban planner takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a civil engineer has an average salary of $70,950, which is higher than the $65,316 average annual salary of an urban planner.
The top three skills for a civil engineer include civil 3d, engineering design and cost estimates. The most important skills for an urban planner are GIS, infrastructure, and visualization.
| Civil Engineer | Urban Planner | |
| Yearly salary | $70,950 | $65,316 |
| Hourly rate | $34.11 | $31.40 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 26,803 | 13,883 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| 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.
An urban planner is responsible for evaluating land use and condition and providing comprehensive plans and programs that would be beneficial for the entire community. Urban planners' tasks also cover conducting field investigations and collect environmental studies, performing market research and creating proposals for approval of the officials, reviewing recommendations and addressing issues which concern the land and resources, and strategizing comprehensive area plans. An urban planner must consider the community's best interest that would promote growth and development.
Civil engineers and urban planners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Civil Engineer | Urban Planner | |
| Average salary | $70,950 | $65,316 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $97,000 | Between $47,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Mapbox |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Construction |
There are a few differences between a civil engineer and an urban planner in terms of educational background:
| Civil Engineer | Urban Planner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Urban Planning |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between civil engineers' and urban planners' demographics:
| Civil Engineer | Urban Planner | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% |
| 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, 4.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 9.3% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 13% |