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The differences between completion engineers and project engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a completion engineer, becoming a project engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a completion engineer has an average salary of $156,228, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for a completion engineer include rig, AFE and cost estimates. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Completion Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $156,228 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $75.11 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 11,512 | 176,689 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
Completion Engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for designing and monitoring well completions and ensuring the safety of drilling completion operations. These engineers must communicate instructions to the drilling contractors for all operations while emphasizing safety, well control, and LEAN. They are required to conduct meetings on multiple onsite safety and analysis of hazardous materials to improve workplace safety. Completion Engineers must also work closely with the senior management to establish standard operating procedures that follow the industry and government regulations.
A Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation. The Project Engineer will also recommend material, equipment, and the type of personnel needed. This position is integral in the smooth flow of any project, so hiring someone to hold this position will decide the success of a project.
Completion engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Completion Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $156,228 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $107,000 And $227,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Washington |
| Best paying company | Devon Energy | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Energy |
There are a few differences between a completion engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Completion Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Petroleum Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between completion engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Completion Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.4% Female, 8.6% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 17.1% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |