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The differences between construction engineers and professional 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 construction engineer and a professional engineer. Additionally, a professional engineer has an average salary of $86,348, which is higher than the $74,680 average annual salary of a construction engineer.
The top three skills for a construction engineer include tractor trailer, construction sites and cranes. The most important skills for a professional engineer are civil engineering, project management, and PE.
| Construction Engineer | Professional Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,680 | $86,348 |
| Hourly rate | $35.90 | $41.51 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 51,380 | 74,009 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Construction Engineer designs, coordinates, and supervises projects within the construction industry. They conduct surveys, analyze results, and supervise projects from the cradle to the grave.
A professional engineer specializes in designing and developing systems and structures through different principles. Although their duties will vary upon their industry of employment, it typically includes performing site assessments and examinations, studying the purpose and goals of the project, developing plans and guidelines, monitoring the progress of operations, and resolving issues and concerns promptly and efficiently. They may work together with architects and senior engineers, liaise with clients or contractors, and perform regular site inspections. Furthermore, a professional engineer must implement safety protocols and regulations to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
Construction engineers and professional engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Construction Engineer | Professional Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,680 | $86,348 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $101,000 | Between $63,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Meta | Bayer |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a construction engineer and a professional engineer in terms of educational background:
| Construction Engineer | Professional Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | New York University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between construction engineers' and professional engineers' demographics:
| Construction Engineer | Professional Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 12.6% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |