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The differences between consulting engineers and principal 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 consulting engineer and a principal engineer. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $97,746 average annual salary of a consulting engineer.
The top three skills for a consulting engineer include java, C # and linux. The most important skills for a principal engineer are java, architecture, and python.
| Consulting Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,746 | $130,213 |
| Hourly rate | $46.99 | $62.60 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 125,600 | 312,683 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A consulting engineer is an individual who aids in the planning, designing, and construction of a project from the public and private clients. Consulting engineers are required to advise on the best component suitable according to the needs of their clients. They can manage the project by coordinating with designers, architects, and relevant persons who have commissioned the project. They may incorporate green sustainable energy solutions based on the demands of their clients. Consulting engineers must also conduct a feasibility study and prepare the estimated cost for the project.
A principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Consulting engineers and principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Consulting Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,746 | $130,213 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $131,000 | Between $95,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Grubhub |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a consulting engineer and a principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Consulting Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between consulting engineers' and principal engineers' demographics:
| Consulting Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 13.8% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |