Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between construction project engineers and project estimators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a construction project engineer, becoming a project estimator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a project estimator has an average salary of $70,496, which is higher than the $68,635 average annual salary of a construction project engineer.
The top three skills for a construction project engineer include construction management, project management and construction materials. The most important skills for a project estimator are project management, cost estimates, and construction projects.
| Construction Project Engineer | Project Estimator | |
| Yearly salary | $68,635 | $70,496 |
| Hourly rate | $33.00 | $33.89 |
| Growth rate | 7% | -2% |
| Number of jobs | 66,147 | 56,513 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 41 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A construction project engineer specializes in performing technical work while coordinating clients, managers, subcontractors, and suppliers, ensuring efficient and safe operations. Moreover, their responsibilities revolve around reviewing overall construction plans and blueprints, delegating tasks, gathering data, producing progress reports, developing project objectives, and monitoring construction progress while prioritizing the budget and deadlines. They may also control project plans, assess workforce performance, and maintain daily records. Furthermore, it is essential to adhere to safety policies and regulations to maintain a safe work environment for everyone.
Project estimators are professionals who are responsible for calculating the total costs that are associated with a construction project or the development of a new product. These estimators are required to monitor project cost and quality construction development while conducting formal presentations to clients about data findings, material takeoff, and project costs. They are required to work with the project management team to develop project accounting and bill-of-materials process. Project estimators must also attend pre-bid meetings and site walk to determine the scope of work and finalize proposals for review by the client.
Construction project engineers and project estimators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Construction Project Engineer | Project Estimator | |
| Average salary | $68,635 | $70,496 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $87,000 | Between $48,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Abbott | Varian Medical Systems |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a construction project engineer and a project estimator in terms of educational background:
| Construction Project Engineer | Project Estimator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Columbia University in the City of New York | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo |
Here are the differences between construction project engineers' and project estimators' demographics:
| Construction Project Engineer | Project Estimator | |
| Average age | 41 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.3% Female, 9.7% | Male, 86.4% Female, 13.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 11.4% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 4.5% White, 75.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 4% |