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The differences between field engineers and superintendents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a field engineer, becoming a superintendent takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a superintendent has an average salary of $82,458, which is higher than the $71,874 average annual salary of a field engineer.
The top three skills for a field engineer include customer service, customer satisfaction and project management. The most important skills for a superintendent are OSHA, quality standards, and construction management.
| Field Engineer | Superintendent | |
| Yearly salary | $71,874 | $82,458 |
| Hourly rate | $34.55 | $39.64 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 86,015 | 22,580 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 45 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A field engineer's role will vary on the industry or line of work involved. However, the primary responsibility will mostly revolve around handling equipment and machinery, ensuring that they function effectively and safely. It is also the task of a field engineer to oversee the workflow and workforce, giving directions and recommendations when necessary. Furthermore, a field engineer must develop strategies and plans to improve the site's efficiency, produce progress reports, and coordinate with other workers.
Superintendents oversee the administration of schools in a specific school district. They manage the educational programs of each school and create strategic decisions to ensure that the students are learning important subjects. They also supervise school administrators or principals and are responsible for hiring and guiding them. Superintendents should be familiar with their constituents and must always be ready to listen to their needs. It is important that superintendents are good decision-makers and communicators. They are expected to lead their respective districts in achieving their vision. Superintendents drive the team towards their goals and create strategic steps to ensure success.
Field engineers and superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Engineer | Superintendent | |
| Average salary | $71,874 | $82,458 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $99,000 | Between $57,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Meta | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Construction |
There are a few differences between a field engineer and a superintendent in terms of educational background:
| Field Engineer | Superintendent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between field engineers' and superintendents' demographics:
| Field Engineer | Superintendent | |
| Average age | 45 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.7% Female, 7.3% | Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 16% |