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The differences between geotechnical engineers and structural design 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 geotechnical engineer and a structural design engineer. Additionally, a structural design engineer has an average salary of $75,662, which is higher than the $74,831 average annual salary of a geotechnical engineer.
The top three skills for a geotechnical engineer include geotechnical, civil engineering and project management. The most important skills for a structural design engineer are structural design, CAD, and autocad.
| Geotechnical Engineer | Structural Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,831 | $75,662 |
| Hourly rate | $35.98 | $36.38 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 15,062 | 57,187 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Geotechnical Engineer plans and designs the structures for buildings, roads, embankments, canals, and other construction projects. They provide advice to civil and structural engineers, architects, and construction personnel.
A Structural Design Engineer designs drawings, specifications, and computer models of structures for building contractors. They help design hospitals, office blocks, houses, bridges, ships, and other structures.
Geotechnical engineers and structural design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Geotechnical Engineer | Structural Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,831 | $75,662 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $99,000 | Between $54,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a geotechnical engineer and a structural design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Geotechnical Engineer | Structural Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between geotechnical engineers' and structural design engineers' demographics:
| Geotechnical Engineer | Structural Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.8% Female, 17.2% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.0% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.3% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |