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Drainage engineer vs senior civil engineer

The differences between drainage engineers and senior civil 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 drainage engineer and a senior civil engineer. Additionally, a senior civil engineer has an average salary of $83,749, which is higher than the $80,313 average annual salary of a drainage engineer.

The top three skills for a drainage engineer include hec ras, HEC-RAS and autocad. The most important skills for a senior civil engineer are civil 3d, project management, and CAD.

Drainage engineer vs senior civil engineer overview

Drainage EngineerSenior Civil Engineer
Yearly salary$80,313$83,749
Hourly rate$38.61$40.26
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs16,04438,162
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 76%Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age4141
Years of experience66

What does a drainage engineer do?

A drainage engineer is primarily responsible for the construction of drainage systems and sewage. They are involved in the planning and designing of drainage systems, allocating the budget for its creation, and, together with the construction team, build the design on the location specified. They oversee the construction, making sure all instructions are followed. They are also responsible for maintaining the system, repairing if there is damage. They also check for any improvements in the market and apply them to the constructed drainage system.

What does a senior civil engineer do?

A senior civil engineer is primarily in charge of overseeing the development of public structures such as buildings, bridges, pipelines, and roads. They are responsible for spearheading the design and planning stages, setting goals and objectives, managing budgets and timelines, performing due diligence, inspecting construction sites, and documenting the procedures. Above all, as a senior civil engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a role model to fellow engineers and contractors, all while implementing the construction site's safety policies and regulations.

Drainage engineer vs senior civil engineer salary

Drainage engineers and senior civil engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Drainage EngineerSenior Civil Engineer
Average salary$80,313$83,749
Salary rangeBetween $60,000 And $106,000Between $60,000 And $115,000
Highest paying CityEnglewood, COSan Rafael, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaCalifornia
Best paying companyParsonsMicrosoft
Best paying industry-Retail

Differences between drainage engineer and senior civil engineer education

There are a few differences between a drainage engineer and a senior civil engineer in terms of educational background:

Drainage EngineerSenior Civil Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 76%Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common majorCivil EngineeringCivil Engineering
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann ArborUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Drainage engineer vs senior civil engineer demographics

Here are the differences between drainage engineers' and senior civil engineers' demographics:

Drainage EngineerSenior Civil Engineer
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 87.5% Female, 12.5%Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 12.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 16.6% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between drainage engineer and senior civil engineer duties and responsibilities

Drainage engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage a geotechnical investigation that include determining boring locations and soliciting bids.
  • Perform slope stability drilling investigations, site inspection and supervision of slope stabilization construction of berms and concrete caisson piles.
  • Finalize designs and calculations for a stormwater conveyance system and stormwater detention basins for a new power plant in Pennsylvania.
  • Assist site supervisors in the evaluation of submittals, RFI's if require.

Senior civil engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage a geotechnical investigation that include determining boring locations and soliciting bids.
  • Analyze bridge structures for deficiencies following the AASHTO code using hand calculations and software.
  • Respond to RFI's and keep the daily logs and quantity book up to date.
  • Design bridges and other highway relate structures using PennDOT standards, and AASHTO policies and procedures.
  • Represent the client (MTA) during CPM schedule update reviews and contractor requests for change orders.
  • Evaluate contractor's procedure for execution, CPM's, breakdowns for payments and contractors certifications for payments.
  • Show more

Drainage engineer vs senior civil engineer skills

Common drainage engineer skills
  • Hec Ras, 26%
  • HEC-RAS, 12%
  • Autocad, 11%
  • Engineering Design, 7%
  • Cost Estimates, 5%
  • HEC-HMS, 5%
Common senior civil engineer skills
  • Civil 3D, 13%
  • Project Management, 11%
  • CAD, 5%
  • Construction Management, 5%
  • Geotechnical, 4%
  • Business Development, 4%

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