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Construction engineer vs project manager

The differences between construction engineers and project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a project manager has an average salary of $91,578, 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 project manager are project management, project scope, and customer service.

Construction engineer vs project manager overview

Construction EngineerProject Manager
Yearly salary$74,680$91,578
Hourly rate$35.90$44.03
Growth rate7%8%
Number of jobs51,380167,116
Job satisfaction-4.17
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age4147
Years of experience6-

What does a construction engineer do?

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.

What does a project manager do?

Project managers oversee a specific project related to the organization's business. They manage the whole project from inception to evaluation. They initiate planning with involved departments, follow-through on the plans, ensure smooth execution of the plans, and evaluate the project for further improvements should these be needed. In line with this, project managers also ensure that the project is cost-efficient and well within the budget. They also manage the different work teams involved in the project and ensure that things are running smoothly on this aspect as well.

Construction engineer vs project manager salary

Construction engineers and project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Construction EngineerProject Manager
Average salary$74,680$91,578
Salary rangeBetween $55,000 And $101,000Between $64,000 And $129,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkCalifornia
Best paying companyMetaThe Citadel
Best paying industryEnergyTechnology

Differences between construction engineer and project manager education

There are a few differences between a construction engineer and a project manager in terms of educational background:

Construction EngineerProject Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common majorCivil EngineeringBusiness
Most common collegeNew York UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Construction engineer vs project manager demographics

Here are the differences between construction engineers' and project managers' demographics:

Construction EngineerProject Manager
Average age4147
Gender ratioMale, 90.7% Female, 9.3%Male, 68.9% Female, 31.1%
Race ratioBlack 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, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage5%10%

Differences between construction engineer and project manager duties and responsibilities

Construction engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage 3D BIM coordination, improving field production and reducing rework.
  • Manage all aspects of work packages which include subsea EPC's contractors (i.e.
  • Manage all trades installing formwork, concrete, interior finishes, built-up and rubber roofs, and EIFS.
  • Calculate sub-contractors weekly accomplish work for payroll.
  • Manage Geotechnical subcontractor daily testing logs and sampling activities.
  • Manage and/or participate in a variety of water and wastewater assist company principles as engineering consultants for numerous municipal clients.
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Project manager example responsibilities.

  • Schedule and manage the GCP audit process.
  • Define, develop and manage metrics and KPIs systems for new product business group.
  • Manage the application process for the FDA medical device, minority and small business certifications.
  • Manage multiple projects and resources simultaneously while mentoring, coaching and implementing best practices, SOX and HIPAA compliance standards.
  • Lead teams using the Informatica ETL tool for the design and development of multiple financial and risk enterprise data warehouses.
  • Administer and manage Salesforce requirements.
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Construction engineer vs project manager skills

Common construction engineer skills
  • Tractor Trailer, 18%
  • Construction Sites, 16%
  • Cranes, 15%
  • Bulldozers, 11%
  • Grade Stakes, 8%
  • Combat, 8%
Common project manager skills
  • Project Management, 23%
  • Project Scope, 6%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Infrastructure, 5%
  • Status Reports, 4%
  • Risk Management, 3%

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