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The differences between graduate engineers and project lead engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a graduate engineer, becoming a project lead engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a project lead engineer has an average salary of $106,946, which is higher than the $70,395 average annual salary of a graduate engineer.
The top three skills for a graduate engineer include civil 3d, cost estimates and project management. The most important skills for a project lead engineer are project management, renewable energy, and project execution.
| Graduate Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,395 | $106,946 |
| Hourly rate | $33.84 | $51.42 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 98,584 | 98,018 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A graduate engineer can work in different engineering subspecialties, such as mechanical, civil, chemical, aerospace, and electrical. Most graduate engineers work on projects while under the supervision and directives of a supervisor or senior engineer. Their duties usually involve identifying and understanding project requirements, conducting research and assessments, completing surveys, and preparing models using different tools and software. Additionally, a graduate engineer can also create designs and prototypes according to project requirements and guidelines, producing regular progress reports for supervisors.
Project lead engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for leading other professionals in completing a particular project. These engineers must develop a project management framework to be implemented throughout the organization based on the inputs from internal stakeholders and team members. They are required to train junior team members so that they can provide proper technical support functions. Project lead engineers must also prepare and review cost estimates for a variety of projects during bidding, construction, and post-construction phases.
Graduate engineers and project lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graduate Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,395 | $106,946 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $89,000 | Between $78,000 And $146,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a graduate engineer and a project lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Graduate Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between graduate engineers' and project lead engineers' demographics:
| Graduate Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.3% Female, 22.7% | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 24.9% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 15.2% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 4% |