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The differences between engineering project coordinators and design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an engineering project coordinator, becoming a design engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a design engineer has an average salary of $77,134, which is higher than the $73,371 average annual salary of an engineering project coordinator.
The top three skills for an engineering project coordinator include project management, shop drawings and powerpoint. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Engineering Project Coordinator | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $73,371 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $35.27 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 112,985 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
An engineering project coordinator works with project managers and specialists to ensure that all aspects of the project are carried out and cared for. They make sure that work is done according to schedule, the staff is doing their job per timeframe, the budget is allocated for, and expenditures are accounted for. They must also have good communication skills to report to stakeholders and heads proficiently. They are also involved in project meetings and propose improvements.
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
Engineering project coordinators and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Project Coordinator | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $73,371 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $101,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an engineering project coordinator and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Project Coordinator | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between engineering project coordinators' and design engineers' demographics:
| Engineering Project Coordinator | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.1% Female, 34.9% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Asian, 12.8% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 5% |