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The differences between construction superintendents and construction 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 construction superintendent, becoming a construction project engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a construction superintendent has an average salary of $87,486, which is higher than the $68,635 average annual salary of a construction project engineer.
The top three skills for a construction superintendent include OSHA, construction management and project management. The most important skills for a construction project engineer are construction management, project management, and construction materials.
| Construction Superintendent | Construction Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,486 | $68,635 |
| Hourly rate | $42.06 | $33.00 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 34,822 | 66,147 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 46 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
A construction superintendent's role is to oversee all construction plans and operations, ensuring quality completion within a specified timeframe. Some of their responsibilities are to inspect all sites, coordinate with contractors and engineers, manage the budget and expenditure, purchase necessary materials and equipment, and make schedules. Aside from producing daily progress reports, a construction superintendent also addresses issues and concerns should there be any. Furthermore, they must implement all safety regulations and policies to maintain a safe and healthy environment for everyone.
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.
Construction superintendents and construction project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Construction Superintendent | Construction Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $87,486 | $68,635 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $123,000 | Between $53,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Coldwell Banker Morris Real Estate | Abbott |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a construction superintendent and a construction project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Construction Superintendent | Construction Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | Columbia University in the City of New York |
Here are the differences between construction superintendents' and construction project engineers' demographics:
| Construction Superintendent | Construction Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 46 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.0% Female, 3.0% | Male, 90.3% Female, 9.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 2.8% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |