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The differences between consulting engineers and staff 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 staff engineer. Additionally, a staff engineer has an average salary of $107,530, 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 staff engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Consulting Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,746 | $107,530 |
| Hourly rate | $46.99 | $51.70 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 125,600 | 277,011 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| 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.
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
Consulting engineers and staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Consulting Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,746 | $107,530 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $131,000 | Between $69,000 And $167,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Flexport |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a consulting engineer and a staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Consulting Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between consulting engineers' and staff engineers' demographics:
| Consulting Engineer | Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| 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, 16.8% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |