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Foundation engineer vs civil engineer

The differences between foundation engineers and 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 foundation engineer and a civil engineer. Additionally, a foundation engineer has an average salary of $76,200, which is higher than the $70,950 average annual salary of a civil engineer.

The top three skills for a foundation engineer include geotechnical, CSS and deep foundations. The most important skills for a civil engineer are civil 3d, engineering design, and cost estimates.

Foundation engineer vs civil engineer overview

Foundation EngineerCivil Engineer
Yearly salary$76,200$70,950
Hourly rate$36.63$34.11
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs8,10426,803
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Average age4141
Years of experience66

Foundation engineer vs civil engineer salary

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

Foundation EngineerCivil Engineer
Average salary$76,200$70,950
Salary rangeBetween $49,000 And $117,000Between $51,000 And $97,000
Highest paying CityMenlo Park, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyMetaThe Citadel
Best paying industry-Construction

Differences between foundation engineer and civil engineer education

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

Foundation EngineerCivil Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Most common majorCivil EngineeringCivil Engineering
Most common collegeCarnegie Mellon UniversityUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Foundation engineer vs civil engineer demographics

Here are the differences between foundation engineers' and civil engineers' demographics:

Foundation EngineerCivil Engineer
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 92.0% Female, 8.0%Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 12.1% White, 71.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 15.6% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between foundation engineer and civil engineer duties and responsibilities

Foundation engineer example responsibilities.

  • Calculate sub-contractors weekly accomplish work for payroll.
  • Prepare proposals, budgets, and geotechnical engineering reports.
  • Compile results and recommend design in a geotechnical design report.
  • Operate and troubleshoot vacuum deposition machinery used in the development of anodes vital to the design of novel lithium-sulfur battery technology.
  • Maintain safety records that meet OSHA standards and monitor emergency requirements.

Civil engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage production of full sets of contract documents (grading, drainage, water, sewer, paving and SWPPP).
  • Manage project programming requirements and manage HVAC design activities.
  • Project manage the overall reorganizing and restructuring of the telecommunication department.
  • Design engineer and project manager for HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems.
  • Support and troubleshoot Hewlett Packard printers, servers, switches, thin clients, and Cisco phone systems.
  • Handle and continuously update project documentation as as-built records and construction record reports.
  • Show more

Foundation engineer vs civil engineer skills

Common foundation engineer skills
  • Geotechnical, 66%
  • CSS, 13%
  • Deep Foundations, 10%
  • Foundation Drawings, 10%
Common civil engineer skills
  • Civil 3D, 11%
  • Engineering Design, 7%
  • Cost Estimates, 7%
  • Project Management, 6%
  • Construction Projects, 4%
  • Engineering Projects, 4%

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