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The differences between completion engineers and student 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 student engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a completion engineer has an average salary of $156,228, which is higher than the $71,947 average annual salary of a student engineer.
The top three skills for a completion engineer include rig, AFE and cost estimates. The most important skills for a student engineer are GPA, C++, and CAD.
| Completion Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $156,228 | $71,947 |
| Hourly rate | $75.11 | $34.59 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 11,512 | 98,036 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| 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 student engineer is an individual who trains to become a full pledge professional engineer by gaining working experience in the field of engineering. By using their knowledge in the principles of science and mathematics, student engineers should help other professionals develop economical solutions and solve technical problems. They are required to engage themselves in the testing, production, or maintenance of newly developed products. Student engineers are also required to work closely with their senior managers or supervisors.
Completion engineers and student engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Completion Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Average salary | $156,228 | $71,947 |
| Salary range | Between $107,000 And $227,000 | Between $54,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Yakima, WA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Washington |
| Best paying company | Devon Energy | JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a completion engineer and a student engineer in terms of educational background:
| Completion Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Petroleum Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between completion engineers' and student engineers' demographics:
| Completion Engineer | Student Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.4% Female, 8.6% | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 15.9% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |