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The differences between drilling engineers and senior 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 drilling engineer, becoming a senior engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $101,225 average annual salary of a drilling engineer.
The top three skills for a drilling engineer include cost estimates, well design and data analysis. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Drilling Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $101,225 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $48.67 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 25,035 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
A drilling engineer specializes in planning and overseeing a gas and oil company's drilling operations. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting extensive research and analysis, coordinating with other experts and contractors, examining and evaluating the quality of drilling sites, and liaising with external parties. Furthermore, as a drilling engineer, it is essential to monitor the progress of operations and lead the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and safety regulations to maintain a safe and productive work environment.
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Drilling engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Drilling Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $101,225 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $155,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | Reno, NV | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Devon Energy | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a drilling engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Drilling Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Petroleum Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between drilling engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Drilling Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.2% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |