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The differences between commissioning engineers and contracting 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 commissioning engineer and a contracting engineer. Additionally, a contracting engineer has an average salary of $122,620, which is higher than the $97,374 average annual salary of a commissioning engineer.
The top three skills for a commissioning engineer include HVAC, test procedures and MEP. The most important skills for a contracting engineer are C++, C #, and R.
| Commissioning Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,374 | $122,620 |
| Hourly rate | $46.81 | $58.95 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 90,740 | 115,631 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A commissioning engineer is responsible for supporting engineering and technical projects by analyzing designs and identifying resources within budget limitations and timetables. Commissioning engineers monitor the project cycle and help the team on writing down progress observations, performing diagnostic tests, creating instructional manuals and resolutions, and ensuring healthy and productive business relationships with clients. They also coordinate with the team to suggest adjustment plans and implementing essential guidelines that would fit the market standards to attract potential clients for future profitability.
A contracting engineer specializes in overseeing engineering projects, focusing on the legalities of contracts between clients and engineers to ensure fairness in all parties involved. Most of their duties are administrative, such as gathering and analyzing data, conducting research and analyses, setting budgets and guidelines, drafting commercial tenders and other paperwork, maintaining records, and executing contracts. They are also responsible for handling contract issues and concerns, solving them promptly and efficiently. Additionally, a contracting engineer maintains an open communication line with all parties to ensure a smooth workflow.
Commissioning engineers and contracting engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commissioning Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,374 | $122,620 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $144,000 | Between $86,000 And $173,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New York |
| Best paying company | Apple | EquiLend |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Professional |
There are a few differences between a commissioning engineer and a contracting engineer in terms of educational background:
| Commissioning Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between commissioning engineers' and contracting engineers' demographics:
| Commissioning Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.4% Female, 4.6% | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 12.3% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |