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The differences between cost engineers and structures 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 cost engineer and a structures engineer. Additionally, a cost engineer has an average salary of $87,901, which is higher than the $73,391 average annual salary of a structures engineer.
The top three skills for a cost engineer include project management, cost analysis and construction management. The most important skills for a structures engineer are structural analysis, revit, and RISA.
| Cost Engineer | Structures Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,901 | $73,391 |
| Hourly rate | $42.26 | $35.28 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 65,278 | 20,778 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A cost engineer is responsible for projecting cost and expenses reports for the production process, identify and mitigate risks, and develop strategic techniques to reduce the excessive financial loss for project buildings. Cost engineers conduct data and statistical analysis to measure time deliverables and quality checks to ensure profitability and adherence to business objectives. They research and negotiate materials from trusted suppliers and vendors with high-quality products that would meet construction designs and client specifications.
A structures engineer works in designing, planning, and overseeing the development of the latest buildings and bridges or modifications and extensions to an existing property or other structures. They are mainly concerned with the safety and capability of the structure to withstand the elements to which they will be exposed--also improving the existing building structural integrity. Part of the task is inspecting properties regarding the conditions/foundation and checking work undertaken by contractors. The job is very similarly related to a civil engineer.
Cost engineers and structures engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cost Engineer | Structures Engineer | |
| Average salary | $87,901 | $73,391 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $120,000 | Between $54,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a cost engineer and a structures engineer in terms of educational background:
| Cost Engineer | Structures Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between cost engineers' and structures engineers' demographics:
| Cost Engineer | Structures Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% | Male, 84.9% Female, 15.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.3% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |